Chapter 12

A few nights later ...

Alucard was with Seras in her room. She finished downing her second ration for the evening. She tried to get up, but Alucard insisted she stay in bed. He took the empty pack from her and set it on the table. Walter would come take care of it later. Just as he was walking back to sit beside her on her bed he felt the familiar tingling in the back of his mind. His master was summoning him.

"I have to go for a little while. Integra is calling to me. Stay in bed and rest. I will be back soon." He said.

"All right." Seras said with a longing sigh.

"I know it's hard for you Seras, having to stay so dormant. But with the baby coming soon you need to rest and concerve your strength." Alucard replied.

"I know." Seras sighed.

"Soon beloved, you will be back with me fighting by my side. But for now you must take it easy. I must go now before Integra gets too impatient with me." Alucard said and dissappeared from her room.

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Integra sat tapping her pen against her desk waiting for her vampiric servant to answer her call. Alucard phazed through the wall and strolled toward her.

"You summoned me master?" He asked smoothly.

"Time for you to go to work Alucard. I've already deployed the human troops to handle the clean up. There have been reports of ghoul activity in Birmingham. It's reportedly taking place in the less reputable parts of the city. Mostly hooligans and prostitutes consort in this area, but we can't have an infestation spreading there." Integra explained.

"And my orders are?"

"Silence all targets. And get the job done as quickly as possible." Integra stated.

"It will be done with all speed master." Alucard said with a bow and vanished.

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Zoey left her station after completing some reports for Integra. She saw Walter approaching as she closed the door for the moment. "Oh, Walter..." She called.

"Yes Miss Winifeild, is there something I can do for you?" Walter asked.

"Would you escort me down to Seras's room? She's in need of a little company right now." Zoey answered.

"Of course." Walter said.

Walter led Zoey down the winding steps to the sublevels and then to Seras's room. "Thank you Walter." Zoey said and walked into her friend's room.

Seras lay on her back as it was the only comfortable position she could think to be in. "Are you all right, Seras?" Zoey asked sitting beside her.

"I'm just missing Alucard, that's all. He had to go take care of a ghoul problem in Birmingham." Seras answered.

"Don't worry Seras. I'm sure he'll be back soon." Zoey replied trying to give some comfort to her friend.

"It's not that Zoey. I know Alucard will be just fine. Ghouls are just target practice to him. I miss being in action by his side. I miss being out on the field. For now I basically just have to stay put. The baby's growing stronger which puts a strain on how much energy I can use through the night. I have to conserve my strength for the birth." Seras said with a tired sigh.

"You'll be back fighting with him soon. I don't doubt that at all." Zoey replied.

"I know. I guess I'm just not used to having to rest so much. Everytime I try to get out of bed Alucard insists I stay in it. It drives me crazy sometimes, but I know he's only trying to do what's best for our child and I." Seras said.

"He really loves you Seras. I've seen how he talks about you and the way he acts around you. You and he belong together. I wonder if Stewart feels that way about me. I wonder if we'll ever be as close to each other as you and Alucard are."

"He does care about you Zoey. It might take him a little while to actually come out and say it, but he does care about you. Just give him some time. It's not easy for him to be open about his feelings. He's a soldier. He wakes up every day and goes to bed every night knowing the next day or night could very well be his last. It's not easy for him to let himself care about someone and to let someone care about him. But know that he does care about you." Seras explained.

"I know he does too. I guess sometimes I wonder if I'm moving too slow or moving too fast for him." Zoey said.

"When the time is right, you'll know."

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Somewhere in Birmingham...

Alucard walked with a stern step looking for his targets. He wasn't too particulary happy about being seperated from Seras for what he felt should have been left up to the human troops. He took out his Casul and loaded a full magazine into the gun. Cocking his ear to the sky he listened intently. He heard uncordinated footsteps approaching from all sides of him. Bushes rustled and trees branches bent as a band of ghouls emerged from the darkness.

At least twenty or more surrounded him. Ten more surrounded that until Alucard was completely surrounded by ghouls. A sinister grin crossed his lips. He unholstered his Jackul and raised both guns aiming them forward. They drew closer and closer. Alucard just stood there maniacally grinning letting them get to just where he wanted them.

Pickman and his unit were stationed a distance away from ghouls location. "Any sign of the host yet?" He questioned.

"No sir." A soldier answered over his radio.

"Keep a sharp eye out. Alucard's probably found the ghouls and will take care of them. Our job is to keep the host from getting away until Alucard can take it out." Pickman ordered.

Just as he spoke the silence was shattered by the sounds of gunshots. But that wasn't the only noise he heard.

"HAHAHAHAH! Come on you little bastards!" Alucard cackled madly.

"He's in rare form tonight isn't he?" A soldier asked.

"Well considering he's having to waste his time out here picking off ghouls, and the fact he hasn't gotten laid in two months...oh yah, he's defintely in rare form." Pickman answered. "That's why we're stationed so far away from him. Knowing how he gets the last thing any of us needs is to get shot."

Where thirty ghouls once stood, there were now thirty piles of ash being blown away by the wind. Alucard stood with his guns still smoking from the battle. He turned his head suddenly to the left hearing something. Sniffing the air, his fiendish grin only got wider.

"I certainly hope you prove to be more of a challenge than your little puppets here." He said with a dark chuckle.

"You're good." A voice said.

"Yes. You're very good." Another added.

Two men, identical twins appeared out of the darkness and faced Alucard.

"Double trouble eh? This should be interesting." Alucard said with an evil grin.

"You must be different from the others." One twin said.

"Yes. Humans don't last well against ghouls. You must be one of ours." The other replied.

Alucard's smile turned to a scowl at that statement. To have to waste his time fighting freaks and their ghouls was bad enough, but to have himself compared to one was a vile insult indeed.

"I am nothing like either of you. Whereas you are nothing more than cheap imitations, I am the real thing. I will make you both suffer dearly for comparing a true nosferatu such as myself to the likes of you." The no life king growled.

"My my, quite touchy aren't you?" One twin questioned.

"Yes, quite the arrogant one he is." The other said.

"Enough. Your pointless banter is beginning to irritate me." Alucard snarled.

"Then attack us..."

"If you dare." The twins said one after the other.

Alucard smiled wide revealing his fangs. His eyes glowed fiercely as he prepared to fight. The twins drew from their waistbands one sword a piece. They looked at each other with predatory glances before training their eyes upon Alucard.

"Blades..." One said.

"Against bullets." The other finished.

"That is really starting to annoy me." Alucard growled. "Now...ATTACK!" He roared madly.

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Zoey and Seras continued talking in her chamber. There came a knock at her door. "Miss Victoria..."

"Yes Walter."

"Miss Le Fay has prepared your bath for the evening."

"All right Walter. I'll be there in a moment."

Seras looked over at Zoey. "Zoey, can you help me up?"

"Of course. Do you want me to walk you up the stairs?"

"That won't be necessary. I can transport myself there much quicker. Why don't you go on with Walter? I'll be all right."

"Ok. See you tomorrow night Seras." Zoey said as she went with Walter up the stairs.

Seras, now standing opened a portal. She stepped through and emerged from the other side in the master bath. Megan stood beside the tub testing the water.

"There you are Seras. I've fixed a lavender and chamomille bath to help relax you." Megan said.

"Thank you Megan. The baby's been quite active these past few nights." Seras replied.

"That is to be expected. Your coming close to the end of your pregnancy. It's only natural that the baby become more active. It's becoming quite cramped in there for her so she is more inclined to move about her surroundings to try and make more room for herself." Megan explained.

"Where is Alucard this evening?" She asked. "He's usually right by your side."

"Problem with ghouls which means there's a vampire lurking about somewhere. Integra sent him to take care of the situation. I'm sure he won't be gone too much longer." Seras answered.

"I'm sure he does his job very well." Megan commented.

"He's the best there is at it." Seras said.

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Swoosh! Swords cut the air as the twins attacked Alucard. He emptied his guns, but the twins proved to be faster than his bullets. Their blades cut him relentlessly putting dozens of slashes in his clothing. He stood with blood pouring from the wounds. The injuries though did not phaze the older vampire. He simply stood with a sadistic grin on his face.

"You've wasted all your bullets." One twin said.

"And now you've no weapons to fight us with." The other added.

"You're just a bleeding target now." The first replied again.

"Now we'll drain your blood, and take your power." The other finished.

The reply to their statement was nothing more than a dark chuckle. This was unusual to the twin targets. Most would have been overcome by fear or pain. Alucard just stood there smiling.

"Freaks like the two of you two could not handle blood as ancient and powerful as mine. You'd go insane from the first drop that entered your mouths."

"We'll see about that." The twins answered in unison.

They rushed foward swords raised. Alucard stood perfectly still waiting for the strike. He would let these two punks have a little bit more fun. They swung their blades in perfect unison aiming for Alucard's neck. The weapons hit their mark, and Alucard's head fell from his shoulders. The twins stood with satisfied smiles as they watched Alucard's now decapitated body fall to the ground. They put away their blades.

"Just like all the others." The first twin said.

"All bark and no bite." The other replied.

Just as they spoke the moon hovered over Alucard's headless body. Alucard's body began to melt into a pool of blood. The twins began to leave when they heard an ominous laughter echo through the woods. It was that of the vampire they had just killed, or so they thought. The twins turned around to see the pool of blood beginning to move and swirl around itself. It turned into a writhing mass of black shadows. The mass began to grow tall and expand.

"What in the world?" One astonished twin asked.

"It can't be." The other said.

The swirling mass of black began to twist and writhe taking a more solid shape. Before the twins knew what was happening, there stood Alucard. His body reformed as if nothing had happened. He wore a demonic smile upon his face and raised his hands. The symbols upon his white gloves began to glow red.

"Situation B. Releasing control art restriction to level two. Hold release until targets are silenced."

The twins watched in both horror and astonishment as Alucard's body went black. He became a twisted shadow form of himself. Dozens of blazing red eyes appeared all over his dark form. His fangs glittered wildly in the moonlight. His hair was now a mass of twisting, writhing serpentine like tendrils. More began to grow out of his shoulders taking on the form of demonic dogs. They stood in front of him growling and snarling.

"Time for you two frauds to go to hell where you belong." Alucard said with a sinister chuckle.

At his command his shadow demons raced toward the twins. Their eyes glowed madly and their mouths foamed like rabid animals. Trying not to show fear, the twins lunged foward with their swords only to have their hands bitten off.

"Rip them apart! Devour them!" Alucard howled with fiendish laughter.

The demon hounds gladly obeyed their master surrounding the targets. They multiplied into several smaller shadows. Dozens of red eyes and sharp teeth came at the dumbfounded twins ripping into their bodies. The two screamed and howled in agony as the numbers of rabid mouths tore into their flesh. Dozens of blood thirsty demon shadows bit into their limbs, their necks, their heads and torsos.

"Slowly my demons. Slowly. Make them suffer." The elder vampire commanded.

The shadow dogs tore and chewed through the flesh until the bodies were rendered limb from limb and devoured. All that was left were the two blades the twins had used against Alucard. When the job was done, the demon dogs retracted back into Alucard's body. He reformed his clothes and stood with a very satisfied smile.

"Targets are silenced. Limited release completed." He said as the glow of his gloves faded.

Sensing where Pickman's unit was, he walked toward them. "You humans can clean up the mess now. I've had my fun for the night." He said and vanished.

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Integra sat at her desk. She had to lean back to read the reports as her over grown stomach no longer allowed her to sit foward. She had just put them down when Alucard appeared in front of her.

"The problem has been dealt with master." He said sauvely.

"And all the ghouls spawned were destroyed?" Integra asked.

"Yes master." Alucard answered. "The human troops are taking care of the clean up."

"Very well. You're dismissed for the evening Alucard." Integra said.

"Shouldn't you be in bed master? It's not good for you to be up so late."

"Dismissed Alucard." Integra replied with a growl.

With that Alucard decided not to push her further. He vanished from her office. The first place he headed was Seras's room. He looked around seeing she was not there.

"Where are you Seras?" He asked mentally.

"Having a bath. Did your mission go well?"

"Very well. I went up against a pair of twins who thought they could hack me to pieces with their little knives. I ended up feeding them to my demons for dinner."

"I'll be back in my room in a little while." Seras said.

"Take your time. I will be waiting for you."

Alucard phazed through the wall to his chamber. He walked over to the collage of portraits Zoey and Seras had done for him. He pressed his fingers against the drawings of Seras sighing longingly. He understood sex wasn't possible for Seras at this point because it was simply too draining and too uncomfortable for her with her over swollen stomach. So for now his imagination and his hands would have to suffice. Looking at the pictures made him want and lust for her. He let out a sigh and took off his coat, hat, sunglasses and gloves. He got into his coffin and phazed out of his clothes. He always prefered being undressed when he did this.

A black shadowy cloud surrounded the open coffin. It gave him privacy while also having more room to work with. He closed his eyes and imagnined Seras was with him. He imagined them both in a lavish bedroom on a magnicent ornate bed with only the lushest of satin and silk underneath them. The site of her naked body alone was more than enough to arouse him. She started crawling onto him kissing and licking up and down his chest.

At the moment he imagined her wrapping her hand around the length of his arousal, he wrapped his own hand around it and began stroking his stiff erection. He drew in a sharp breath as the sensations began to surge through his body. Slowly he moved his hand up and down along the shaft. At the same time he saw in his mind Seras slinking down his body with a naughty look on her face. She smiled revealing her fangs. She lowered her head onto the head of his erection taking it between her lips.

He took his hand and closed it around the head squeezing it tightly mimicking what would be Seras's mouth sucking him. He moved his other hand up and down at the same time. He groaned deeply as pleasure coursed through him. His hand began to move faster in time with his vision of Seras. All the time imagining it was her doing this to him. His nostrils flared and his eyes glowed. His muscles began to tense. He whipped his head from side to side groaning wantonly.

He bucked his hips upward arching his back as orgasm approached. He took one hand and fondled the twin orbs while working his erection with his other hand. A shadowy tendril snaked out of his hair slinking down his body. It formed a mouthlike orafice and covered the head. He stroked faster and faster with his hand. His groans becoming growls and grunts. He felt like a coiled spring being stretched tighter and tighter. Faster and faster his hand moved until he could no longer hold back his release.

His breaths were rapid and heavy. He arched his back sharply as the moment came. "Seras!" He shouted as his seed exploded into the tendril. He found that an effective way to keep from making a mess. The fluid was simply reabsorbed into himself. His body shook and spamsmed for a moment. The vision of Seras faded away back into the recesses of his mind. He laid still for a moment letting himself rest and recover.

Afterwards he got dressed and went to Seras's room to wait for her. It wasn't the same as making love to her, but it was at least a means for releasing a little pent up sexual frustration.

"Better than nothing." He sighed to himself.

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