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It was after midnight by the time Integra had finished her progress reports and expected Alucard to manifest out of thin air for the final reports. The final nail on the coffin of yet another supernatural macabre case which ended with blood and horror.
Horror. What an ironic word.
Talking about horror in the house of the devil
But she were in charge of it, of everything under the moonlight, she had the jurisdiction of every supernatural issue under her black wing
Her office was vacant, except for her desk and the glowing screen of her new laptop, her glasses reflecting its content which showed the raised statistics of the newly turned vampires in the vicinity of England and Ireland.
Statistics she would have to present in the convection of twelve as a supposed positive outcome
Her ashtray was resting by her right hand, it was itching for another dose of nicotine and deep grey smoke in her lungs.
But she had to concentrate, the distraction could work only after he would come
The still air was frozen, November’s weather would always drop its temperature after the sunset by freezing qualities.
Nothing seemed to work in her favour if he were not in her presence when she wanted him
Where is he already? Why is he getting so long to come back to me? What an old idiot!
She exhaled loudly and blinked her eyes with a force that moved the rest of her facial muscles, the laptop screen was making her eyes dry
Keeping the communal rooms of the mansion all dark with no turned on lamps during the night only for him to never show up!
The clicking sounds on the keyboard got louder, and the poor mouse was not experiencing a better fate
He was supposed to be here an hour ago! Absolutely disregarding the dynamic between a servant and his master. Next time I will keep all the lights on! His pupils will burn like those of a bat!
Her eyebrows here furrowed but beyond that, no one could notice the esoteric turmoil of hers in the darkly decorated room
Unless of course one had the power of mind reading
“If I knew my master would sorrow my absence to such extent” a dark baritone voice was heard from all around the place, shadows materialising in every direction and alcoves of the walls “I would have returned sooner”
Integra closed her laptop’s screen so the bright artificial light would not sidetrack her vision in the darkness
A thin cloud of black smoke that was almost non noticeable from the rest of scenery appeared in front of her office. She had learnt to distinguish it years ago, it was her duty to do so
She fixed her posture to the straight figure of a meticulously focused administrator
Alucard’s body had all materialised from the black and red cloud, his presence almost never changing. Almost.
“You are late” she announced, hands with interconnected fingers and palms resting under her chin
“I know”
His voice carried a kind of energy that she had not witnessed on him in a while
“You should have reported in my office two hours ago”
Her ears detected a silent “hmm”
“I apologise for the disobedience Integra”
He used her nickname. And that voice again, she thought, just what it was that echoed in her ears differently
“Step closer Alucard, I can not see you in this lack of light”
He did not answer but followed her instructions
His footsteps echoed in the vacant space and dead of the night.
The moonlight permeated through the few windows that had their curtains open and that’s when the realisation hit her
He was sent out for dealing with the clearance of a vampire team
He was a hunt-dog that returned from the killing spree
His legs could graze the edge of her office, standing in front of her as the casted curse that imposed everything under his touch
His pupils were dilated, no. His pupils were enlarged to the degree that nothing else was visible, a pitch black void amidst the albescent greyish white of his face. Traces of blood could be spotted on the corners of his lips
“Is this fine by your standards” he mocked “Integra?”
“Report your results, Alucard” Integra’s puffs on her cigar were deep and slow
He wetted his lips with his inhumanly large tongue, fangs flashing for the world to see
“It is done, Sir. Three men and two women that comprised the trafficking team up to the North is no more” Alucard said, his eyes gleaming the moonlight in his dim void
Integra looked up from her cigar, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in Alucard's demeanour
"I see. And how did it go?"
Alucard's smile grew, his torso slightly hunching
"Oh, it was magnificent!” he exclaimed with the vividness of a child “They were so... afraid. So helpless.” Integra heard a purr coming out of his words “I could smell their fear, Integra. Watching their pathetic purposeless endeavours falling apart as I pursued them and directed them to their inevitable final residence” he exhaled in the same fashion as a trembling from adrenaline man “It was intoxicating”
Integra's expression remained neutral, but a flicker of concern danced in her eyes
"I'm glad it was successful, Alucard. But perhaps you should calm down. You seem... pumped up."
Pumped up? Alucard thought, his grin widening.
Alucard felt a higher sensation than this
He felt the rush of the hunt still coursing through his veins.
"Pumped up?" He chuckled, the sound low and menacing. "I'm exhilarated, Integra.”
With a thud he placed his palms on her desk, hunching even lower for her to witness him in all of his erratic glory
“I felt free” the final crescendo
Integra's eyes locked onto Alucard's, her gaze piercing
“Wouldn’t you like to experience this sensation for once in your life, master?” Alucard laughed, the sound growing louder, more manic “To be the monster, the creature of the night. The one they fear, the one they whisper about in the darkness”
Integra's hands clenched into fists, her knuckles white. "Alucard, that's enough."
But Alucard was beyond reason, lost in the thrill of the kill
“I dare to disagree here, Integra” he swallowed audibly “This will never be enough. We will always return to this question and always I will be expecting an answer from you”
She remained still and calm, but with a hint of trembling in her body
“There is nothing to be discussed Alucard. Things will remain as such for as long as they can remain” Diplomatic answer, she thought
The moon was covered by a thin cloud, making the room even less bright
“Very well, I see the thrilling of your youth has not casted its fog away from your mind yet” a pause “But I will ask a final question” and a chuckle “if you permit it of course”
She raised her eyebrow “You may ask”
“When you saw in your little bright screen the results of your orders, the havoc that your weapon caused, resulting in dead after dead corpses to be paraded on wooden sticks” his face took the sinful expression of an oni mask “Did you feel your blood rushing down there?”
She remained stoic for a moment
Then the storm came out
She stood in fumes and lashed out at him
“This is none of your concerns!” she yelled “Return to your place and do not come out unless you have been given orders by me!” she was breathing from her mouth and her cheeks took a rosy tone
Alucard straightened up his posture but couldn’t hide his mischief “Thank you for the clarifying answer, Integra”
Slowly, his body was starting to disintegrate, his shadows expanding like tentacles all around the room
“Good to know we are one and the same”
Before Integra could answer back in a less than civilised fashion, Alucard had completely melted away or disappeared out of thin air. Both scenarios sounded suitable.
With an audible sigh, she threw herself on the chair like a lifeless mannequin. She massaged her temples and pressed her eyes close
The night might not be young, but it sure lurked temptations.