Chapter 7

Seras and Alucard scowered the entire grounds for any sign of Zoey. Where it would have taken the human troops hours, they had it done in less than one. Both of them returned to Integra displeased with their results.

"We cannot find her master. Seras and I have searched every where in this mansion but there is no sign of her." Alucard said. His face displayed an angry scowl. Seras balled her hands into fists so taut her knuckles began to turn white.

"Humans could not have done this. Only true undeads have the power to entrance mortals. It was a vampire that did this. A vampire took Zoey. I have no doubt it was Demir and Aiesha. They're the vampires. There was no sign of them at the club when we took out the band of ghouls." Seras replied trying not to lose control over her emotions.

"It was a diversion meant to lure Seras and I away from here. They knew if we were gone they'd have no vampiric competition to their powers. It must have been they who put a sleep upon the mansion and lured Zoey to them. She is very susceptable to vampiric mind control." Alucard added.

"And we fell for it. I...fell for it. Go track them down. Find Zoey and destroy your targets!" Integra yelled and stormed back into her office. She looked down at her desk digging her nails into the wood. She gritted her teeth feeling nothing short of absolute rage.

"Bloody undead fuckers!" She barked and hurled an ash tray across the room.

Alucard looked away. He knew she hadn't intended the insult for him or Seras, but it was an insult none the less. Seras also felt the sting of Integra's outburst. She looked up at Alucard who looked back at her.

"Let's go." He growled.

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Zoey awoke to find herself bound by her hands to a long pole by leather cords. She'd been stripped completely naked. She shivered as cool air blew across her bare skin.She fearfully looked at her surroundings. The room was dim, lit only by candles. She saw a statue of a woman holding fourth a golden chalice. She pulled at her bonds in an attempt to slip one of her hands out of one of the restraints. But the more she pulled the tighter the cord became. Demir and Aiesha walked coldly toward their prisoner with evil smiles on their faces.

"Behold child. The dark mother stands offering the darkest of pleasures to all who submit themselves to her. Soon we will bring her spirit into the world of the living. We will welcome her with great orgies of lust and sacrifices of innocence." Demir announced proudly.

"You better let me go! My friends will come for me and when they do you'll wish you'd never laid a hand on me!" Zoey shouted.

Zoey began to pull frantically at her cords. This only made Demir and Aiesha smile wider. They slowly walked toward her as she continued her vain attempt to free herself. Before she could struggled further Demir tangled his fingers in her long black hair and forced her head back. He began looking into her mind. He saw Seras and Alucard talking to her at the club. He saw them taking her away. Then he saw her most recent memories of Seras talking to her at Hellsing. He saw Walter and more importantly, Integra.

"She knows nothing of our follies with the man and woman we took. But I have seen the vision of a woman, but no ordinary woman. She appears strong and spirited. We must go back to this place called Hellsing. The woman called Integra is born of noble blood. If she is pure, then perhaps it is she who will bring our dark mother into our world." He said.

"Don't you dare! Do what you want with me but leave the people of Hellsing alone!" Zoey cried.

"Smell it on her Aiesha. Her fear is so sweet, so strong." He purred. "And her blood, such pure virgin blood. I think she will taste as sweet as she smells." He added licking his lips.

"Such beauty she posesses. Such warm flesh could serve us well." Aiesha sighed with a voice full of lust.

"They'll find you! They'll find you and tear you apart!" Zoey yelled defiantly.

"Oh yes. We will confront your friends soon enough. But for now we are quite safe. Our dark mistress and mother Lilith sheilds us from our enemies. As far as they are concerned we are invisible. We're right under their noses and they can't even smell us out." Aiesha replied coldly.

"Now my little one, it is time for you to learn the pleasures of pain and of the flesh." Demir said and stepped back from the struggling victim.

She cried out in pain as he snapped her with a bull whip. At first it only left a red whelk against her skin. As he struck her again the point lashed mercilessly against her tender flesh drawing a tiny stream of blood. Aiesha stalked toward her and licked the wound tasting Zoey's blood.

"How sweet her blood is!" She moaned orgasmically.

"Get away from me you monster!" Zoey screamed. The only responce she got was icy, demonic laughter from her tormentors. Demir continued striking her with the whip. The hard, taut leather and needle fine point cut into her skin over and over until she was covered in bloody stripes. Demir and Aiesha lapped up every drop of her blood as it fell from her wounds.

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"Damnit!" Seras cursed. "We've searching for close to two hours now and we can't find any sign of them!" She shouted.

"Hysterics won't help our cause. You must calm down. We'll find her. Her kidnappers can't cloak themselves forever. Knowing Demir's true nature, he will want a confrontation with me. He's just biding his time until he can get a fight on his terms." Alucard said.

"I just hope we find Zoey alive. I'll never forgive myself if she's killed." Seras sighed.

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Zoey hung limp and eghausted against the pole. It and the cord bindings were the only thing holding her up. Demir had struck her several more times with the whip. Then he and Aiesha lapped her blood up again before it fell to the floor. Zoey's eyes fluttered wearily. Her head hung back lazily and her knees buckled against her. But Demir and Aiesha were not done with her yet.

Aiesha's nails grew to sharp rounded ends. She drug them slowly across the whip marks on Zoey's back. As if her body had not endured enough torment, now it was being subjected to even more. Though her strength was waining she still cried out loudly as she felt her nerves assaulted once again. Her skin burned from the stinging lashes of the whip. The slow scratching made every sensation exquisite agony.

The torture was agonizing, and Zoey lost her strength to resist. She didn't even have the strength to cry out any longer. Inside her flesh was screaming and burning like fire. Demir looked at her nearly unconcious body. He grasped her by her hair and forced his mouth against hers. She had barely enough strength to open her mouth. She could not resist against him.

He untied her hands from their leather bonds. She thought perhaps her ordeal would finally be over. Whether they were going to leave her or kill her, either would have been a welcome relief from her torment. But death or release was the furthest thing from Demir's twisted mind. He hoisted her over his shoulder while Aiesha watched in anticipation.

Demir placed Zoey's blood streaked and weary frame upon a bed of stone. Her eyes were closed for a moment. When she opened them she found Demir laying over her pinning her hands over her head. His eyes glowed with lust and his fangs elongated. Zoey's eyes widened in terror when she realized he was no longer clothed.

"NO!" She screamed as loud as she possibly could.

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Alucard and Seras found themselves back at Dark Oasis, or more so what was left of it after their battle with the ghouls. Just as Alucard was about to step into the ruin his head jerked upward. He heard something. It would have been too faint for humans a great distance away from the source, but Alucard heard it as if he were standing right across from it. Without a word he grabbed Seras's wrist. Before she had a chance to ask what was going on the two of them vanished from site.

The next thing Seras knew she and Alucard materialized outside an abandoned warehouse. "I heard a woman's scream. It's coming from within this old warehouse." Alucard said as he released Seras's hand.

"Zoey! Oh God please let her be alive!" Seras exclaimed.

Alucard waved his hand to open the door. But to his shock nothing happened. "What? How can this be? That door should have exploded off its hinges with a mere wave of my hand!" He shouted.

Demir looked up as he phazed back into his clothes. An icy smile twisted upon his lips. "My old enemy has arrived. The girl's scream must have led him to us. But the time is not yet right. We've had our fun with the girl." Demir replied coldly looking down at Zoey's near lifeless form. He and Aiesha vanished from their secret lair.

The moment they disappeared Alucard tried once more to remove the door. This time it imploded allowing the two Hellsing vampires to enter the building. The very second they entered they could smell the remanents of blood and past death. But it was the site Seras beheld that made her scream.

"ZOEY!"

Seras streaked faster than lightening to her fallen friend. "Alucard!" She shouted in a panic strickend voice. No sooner than she'd called his name he was at her side. He immediately removed his red coat and covered Zoey's naked body with it. He pressed his fingers against her throat feeling for her pulse point. He could hear the faint beating of her heart.

"She's barely alive. We have to get her back to Hellsing manor or she won't make it." Alucard said quickly gathering Zoey into his arms. Seras hooked her arms around his waist as the three vanished.

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Integra paced back and fourth in her office. Though Alucard and Seras stated there was no sign of Zoey in the mansion, she insisted the guards keep looking anyway. Walter rushed through the door clutching his chest and trying to catch his breath.

"Sir! Alucard and Seras," he paused to take a breath. "have returned," he paused again. "with Miss Victoria's friend." He finished.

Just as he spoke Alucard and Seras materialized in her office with Zoey still in the elder vampire's arms. "The girl has been severely injured. She'll die if she doesn't get medical attention this minute." Alucard stated gravely.

Integra quickly gave the order over her intercom to gather the medical staff at once. Alucard and Seras took Zoey to the hospital wing of the compound. Seras kept her emotions contained for the moment. Losing all control in front of Zoey would not make the situation any better. She watched the doctors like a hawk as they began treating Zoey's wounds. She watched them intently as they cleaned and sterilized the lacerations and stablelized her breathing.

Alucard stood beside her as she watched. He also fought to keep his emotions in check. He felt more inadequate than he had when Van Helsing captured him over a century ago. He felt something he loathed with great passion. He felt weak. Demir and Aiesha had been under his nose the entire time, and he hadn't sensed it.

Integra soon joined the two vampires as they watched the doctors rush to save Zoey's life. After a time passed Zoey's condition was finally stablized. Integra motioned for the chief medic to give her a report.

"We've stablized her condition, but we've had to heavily sedate her. She's recieved a number of lacerations, several of them deep and she's also got what appear to be deep claw marks on her back. It also appears that the girl has been sexually assualted, and quite brutally. She was in a severe state of shock when we recieved her. If she had been brought to us thirty minutes later, the girl would most likely have died." The doctor reported.

"Sir...I need some time alone." Seras said trying desperately not to lose control. Integra could see the expression upon the young vampire's face.

"Permission granted Captain Victoria." Integra replied.

Seras walked away with her hands balled into tight fists. Integra looked at Alucard with a stern glare. "I want to see you in my office this minute." The Hellsing leader ordered.

"This isn't a good time master." Alucard answered dryly.

"It was not a request Alucard. It was an order, and I expect it to be obeyed. In my office now." Integra said sternly. She walked off leaving Alucard to brood for a moment. He knew what was coming, yet another verbal bashing. Only this time he didn't know if he could keep his own temper in check to withstand it. For the briefest second, he didn't know if he even wanted to.

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Seras was in the training room. She stormed up to the first punching bag she saw and proceeded to lay into it with her bare hands.

"Bastards!" She yelled as she drove her fist into the leather skin.

"Damn them to hell!" She yelled louder as she punched the bag again.

"Tortured her!" She cried as she kicked the bag with her foot.

"Raped her!" She shouted. She punched and kicked the bag til it was torn from the rope that suspended it. She continued her assault. She straddled the thing like it was Demir or Aiesha. Her claws elongated and she sank them into the leather surface leaving long deep gashes in it. Seras pounded her fist against it even as the straw insides flew out. Her body shook with the force of her rage. She fought to keep the scarlet tears forming in her eyes from falling.

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Integra sat behind her desk impatiently drumming her fingers against her desk. Alucard materialized in her office as she had ordered. They glared at each other for an uneasy moment.

"Your abilities are slipping Alucard. Vampires were able to put the entire household including myself and Walter in a trance and lured Zoey away. Why was that? Why didn't you sense that something was wrong?" Integra demanded.

"My abilities are as strong as they have ever been master. I cannot give an answer as to why I did not sense anything." Alucard responded drly.

"Can't give or won't give an answer. Which is it?" Integra accused.

"I can't give an answer. Do you doubt my powers master?" Alucard asked in an angry tone.

"You tell me Alucard. You didn't sense any vampire activity the first night I sent you and Seras to Dark Oasis. You didn't sense it the second night either. Yet you saw fit to bring back a friend of Seras Victoria only on a hunch and not actual proof. Did it ever occur to you that your bringing her here has put this organization in danger? Who knows what they may have learned from the girl because she's been here?"

"I am well aware of the dangers involved and I made sure that the club owners did not see where Seras and I brought the girl." Alucard refuted.

"You couldn't sense them so how the hell do you know they didn't follow you both here! Or perhaps you didn't want me to know. Perhaps maybe you're seeing this as your ticket to freedom!" Integra barked.

The very words encited Alucard's rage. He lept across the desk and grabbed Integra by the shoulders. His eyes glowed with anger and his fangs elongated. Integra struggled against him as he forced her head back.

"Let go of me this instant!" Integra yelled.

"If I wanted to kill you master you would now be dead. I could so easily sink these fangs of mine into your throat and drain you like those blood bags you give me to feed on. Do not DARE question my loyalty...woman." The vampire snarled as his teeth bore closer to Integra's skin. He suddenly felt something very cold, very thin and decidedly silver around his throat.

"Alucard, don't make me do this." Walter warned calmly but firmly. Knowing his comrade would make good on his threat Alucard released Integra and backed off, not that taking his head would have done him any permanent harm. Integra grabbed her neck to make sure she hadn't nicked or grazed herself on Alucard's fangs.

"Stop it, both of you. Integra, what would your father say to you if he were here right now?" Walter scolded. "And Alucard, don't you dare rush at Sir Integra like that ever again. Whatever words were exchanged does not merit this disgraceful behavior."

Ever the sensible perveyer of logic and cool headedness, Walter stood waiting for the two to regain their wits and their tempers. He stood tapping his foot impatiently.

"Well?" He asked sternly.

"I apologize...master." Alucard grumbled.

"Don't you ever pull that with me again, or I'll have you locked back in the cellar." Integra growled.

"You know better young lady than to do or say something to provoke such rage in him. Now either you apologize to him as he did to you, or I will come over there and take you across my knee whether you're a grown woman or not." The old retainer warned.

Integra was floored by that statement. Walter had never laid a hand to her in all her young life. How could he threaten to do such a thing to her now. The last thing Integra wanted to do was have to apologize to the vampire who was her servant. But she also realized Walter did not make idle threats. And the most humilating thing for her would have been recieving such a childish discipline in front of that very servant. And she knew damn well that Walter would have let Alucard watch too.

"I..." Integra began gritting her teeth.

"I'm waiting." Walter growled.

"I apologize." Integra muttered.

"Oh I'm sorry, what was that again?" Alucard asked sarcastically.

"Alucard, I can still take these wires to you." Walter replied.

The vampire immediately shut his mouth, though it was more out of respect to Walter than fear of him. Integra straightened out her suit and readjusted her tie. She grabbed a cigarillo and lit it. Walter looked at them both and sighed.

"Now please try to conduct yourselves like you have some manners." Walter said.

"What are we supposed to do? What use are your powers Alucard if they no longer serve you or this organization?" Integra asked with an exasperated sigh.

"Sir Integra, I believe Miss Victoria said that these vampires may have found a way to mask their conditions. Do you not remember the conversation you and I had when you questioned Miss Winifeild?" Walter suggested.

"If I could have sensed the vampires don't you think I would have informed you? I did not chose to be a servant to humans. This symbol as far as I'm concerned is a symbol of bondage." Alucard said pointing to the symbol upon his white gloves.

"But despite the fact I despised your ancestor, despite the fact I loathe having my powers restricted, have I not served you and your family faithfully? When your uncle tried to kill you after your father died, did I not save your life? Yes I could have let him kill you, or I could have killed you myself but I did not. I bowed to you after you showed me your strength and your spirit. You may believe what you wish but these seals do not make me loyal to you. Your character and your strong spirit are what make me loyal." Alucard said turning away.

"In spite of all your family has done to me, I am faithful and loyal to you my master. Remember that despite your responcibilities you are still free to do as you wish in life. I....am not." Alucard said as his form vanished from Integra's office.

"Think about that the next time you chose to question my loyalty." His voice echoed in her head.

Integra smashed the cigar in a spare ash tray and rested her head on her folded arms. "What am I going to do with him Walter?"

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