Alex returned to the kitchen once again, but this time in the company of Seras and Alessa, who were accompanying him. Even though Hellsing Manor had someone who could brew coffee for him, Alex didn't want to bother Walter unnecessarily when he could make it himself for both him and Seras. While brewing the coffee, Alex hummed a tune and swayed lightly to the rhythm.
Seras sat next to Alessa at the table, watching Alex as he once again behaved a little foolishly. She had seen this side of Alex more than once, and this particular side of him was the one she liked the most — as though he were just an ordinary, carefree, slightly silly guy who lived in the moment and didn't care what others might think.
Once the coffee was ready, Alex placed a cup in front of Seras, and she immediately dropped a blood candy into it. Seras brought the cup to her lips and thought how much she wished moments like this could last longer. In times like these, she felt like an ordinary girl who had her own family — a husband and a daughter — who would always be by her side no matter what.
Thinking about this, Seras couldn't hold back the soft, warm, almost childlike smile that spread across her face. But that smile faltered for a moment when she once again realized that in order to preserve this feeling of normal life, she needed to become stronger. Seras remembered the words Alex had recently said to her: that she didn't need to become stronger for someone else, but for herself.
Lost in thought, Seras became more and more convinced that she needed to become stronger — even if that meant drinking human blood and becoming a full Nosferatu. And yet, the moment she thought about actually drinking human blood, all her motivation instantly evaporated. It was far easier to think about it than to actually do it.
Deep in her thoughts, Seras didn't notice how she sighed, slowly — almost mechanically — rotating the coffee cup in her hands, as though the motion could help her gather her thoughts.
"Why the sigh, Seras? Thinking about silly things again?" Alex asked, resting his cheek on his fist and looking at her with a light but attentive smile.
"I'm not thinking about silly things. You yourself said I need to become stronger. And to do that, I have to drink human blood to become a proper vampire. But saying it is easier than doing it… I just don't want to consume human souls… How do I put it… I'm afraid that I'll stop being just Seras and become someone else," Seras said with another sigh, now rotating the cup faster, as though the movement helped her cope with the inner tension.
"You're overthinking again, Seras. If you're afraid to drink human blood and absorb their emotions, memories, and everything else along with it, then you can simply drink mine," Alex said, poking Seras on the nose with his usual playfulness.
"Yours? That's somehow… not right. I mean, it's… It's…" Seras said, beginning to blush as she imagined drinking Alex's blood — how it would look, how it would feel, how close she would have to be to him in that moment.
"What exactly are you picturing? Don't tell me you're remembering those books where lovers exchange blood to show their love?" Alex asked with a blank expression, though a mischievous spark flashed in his eyes.
Hearing Alex's words, Seras's face turned even redder — because she really had read books like that. After becoming a vampire and learning about it, she had become curious about what vampires really were. So she had read a lot of different literature to better understand what she had become.
And unfortunately for Seras, there was a great deal of vampire-related information online — including romance novels that she read secretly when no one was watching. But she definitely wasn't going to admit that. Alex watched as Seras lowered her head, her face once again flushing deeply with embarrassment. He couldn't hide the smile on his face as he observed Seras's genuine, touching embarrassment.
"Eh, Seras… I don't want to ruin your romantic thoughts. But my blood can't be drunk in that way. And no matter how much you bite my neck, your fangs definitely won't be able to pierce my skin," Alex said, chuckling lightly and looking at her with warm amusement.
"Um… What do you mean it can't be drunk? If it can't be drunk, then why are you offering it? Is it because you're supposedly Death and your blood can kill anyone?" Seras began asking, quickly snapping out of her embarrassment and now looking at him with curiosity and slight concern.
"My job as Death has nothing to do with it. My blood is very special… Extremely special and extremely dangerous. Right now I can't explain everything to you — there's no time… But here. I prepared this especially for you," Alex said, placing a small vial of his blood on the table.
Seras looked at the vial containing Alex's blood and leaned forward slightly to examine it better. Despite appearing completely ordinary at first glance, upon closer inspection Seras quickly realized that Alex's blood was anything but normal — it was somehow completely different and very strange.
Seras understood why Alex had said his blood was special: it seemed to shimmer with an odd purple hue mixed with hard-to-notice black glints that flickered only when looked at very carefully.
Seras cautiously took the vial of Alex's blood and brought it closer to smell it, thinking that Alex's blood should smell like Alex himself — familiar, comforting, like home. But before she could open the vial, Alex stopped her.
"Not now… This isn't the time or place. You have to want this yourself — not be influenced by emotions. You need to clearly understand that this is a one-way road. Do you understand what I mean?" Alex said, not letting Seras open the vial, his voice growing slightly more serious but still warm.
"Why do you always speak in riddles? But I think I understand what you mean. I have to take this step myself — not wait to be pushed from behind to move forward. Right?" Seras asked, looking at Alex with a puzzled but already more confident gaze.
"You said it correctly, Mom Seras. So you're not just a pervert — you're also quite smart. Gotta write that down and tell my sisters," Alessa said, nodding and once again pulling out her phone.
"I'm not a pervert — don't tell them that!" Seras shouted in a panicked voice, trying to grab Alessa's phone.
Before Seras could reach the phone, Alessa had already jumped off the chair and run aside, typing on her phone as she went. Seeing this, Seras collapsed face-first onto the table in despair, thinking her life was officially ruined. Now not only Alessa considered her a pervert — Alex's other daughters would think the same.
All of Seras's thoughts about Alex's blood were instantly replaced by utter despair over being labeled a pervert. Seras lay face-down on the table, nearly bursting into tears from hopelessness. Alex looked at Alessa and couldn't help thinking that she had truly turned into a gremlin — even if she didn't show it openly.
Alex knew it would be hard for Seras, but he also knew his daughters would easily accept Seras into the family — just like his other wives had. Alex reached out and gently stroked Seras's hair to comfort her. Seras raised her teary eyes to Alex, still thinking she had once again been branded a pervert.
"Don't get so upset. Alessa's just teasing. Wednesday taught Alessa how to use people's weaknesses against them. She's just getting back at you for hugging her so tightly to your chest while she slept," Alex said, tenderly stroking Seras's hair and looking at her with a warm smile.
"I was just hugging her…" Seras said, looking at Alex with teary eyes still filled with despair.
"Let's just say Alessa's first experience with hugs like that wasn't the most pleasant. When her head nearly drowned in a very large chest," Alex said, clearing his throat dryly and trying not to laugh.
"How large?" Seras asked, swallowing hard as her imagination ran wild.
Alex cleared his throat again after Seras's question. He definitely wasn't going to show the size of Shizuka's chest — because Shizuka's chest really was enormous. Seeing Alex's reaction, Seras's imagination went into overdrive as she began picturing the size of the chest in which Alessa's head had nearly drowned. Seras glanced at Alessa, who demonstratively showed the size with her hands.
Seeing how Alessa indicated the size, Seras's throat went dry as she imagined a woman with breasts that large. Seras looked down at her own chest and realized that while hers were big, what Alessa had shown seemed even bigger.
Seras — being a girl — even began comparing her own size to what Alessa had demonstrated, and she couldn't deny that such a chest really was huge. Alex watched all of this with mixed emotions — especially Seras, who was moving her hands around, trying to visualize Shizuka's size.
Alex was certain that Shizuka was currently pouting because Alessa still held a grudge over the time he came home with Alessa, and Shizuka couldn't hold back and had hugged her tightly.
And at that very moment Integra walked into the kitchen and caught this bizarre scene: Seras moving her hands near her own chest, Alex watching everything, and Alessa standing off to the side typing on her phone. The first question that popped into Integra's head was: what the hell is going on here?
"What are you doing, Seras?" Integra asked in a calm tone, looking at Seras.
"Oh, Lady Integra! It's just… just…" Seras exclaimed, immediately pulling her hands away from her chest and trying to find an excuse for her actions.
"Just what? You decided to fondle your own breasts in broad daylight in front of a child?" Integra asked in a cold tone, staring at Seras, making her tremble with fear.
Meeting Integra's gaze, Seras became slightly frightened because she couldn't find the right words to explain herself. Seras understood she couldn't tell her that Alessa was a little upset because she had hugged her so tightly to her chest while sleeping — and that for Alessa it brought back unpleasant memories of when her head nearly drowned in another woman's large chest.
Seras looked at Alex with a doomed expression, seeking help. Alex responded with a light gesture — forming a heart with his fingers — showing that she could handle it. Seeing Alex's gesture, Seras understood there was no getting out of this. And all the while Integra's gaze grew colder and pressed harder on Seras.
Seeing no other way out of the situation, Seras lowered her head and quietly began explaining the reason behind her actions. After hearing the full explanation, Integra's gaze remained blank.
But her eyelid twitched for a brief moment when she lowered her head toward her own chest. Even if Integra considered the body nothing more than flesh, as a woman she didn't enjoy being compared to others. Integra raised her gaze and looked at Alex, who tilted his head to the side.
"So one of your women has… impressive arguments — enough that Alessa nearly suffocated? Interesting. I'll remember that. But if size is what interests you, I can arrange a comparison. Right now. Without prying eyes," Integra said, looking at Alex.
Alex stared at Integra, mouth open in shock, not expecting such a reaction from her. Even Seras was completely stunned, looking at Integra, her fear replaced by utter bewilderment. After all, Seras never expected someone like Integra to say such words or do something like that.
Alex couldn't help but glance down at Integra's chest — and he knew perfectly well that she wore a special corset and shaping underwear. Alex knew that for any woman, talking about breasts was a forbidden topic best avoided.
He even thought that Integra's current words were connected to what she had seen through their link thanks to the contract. Alex cleared his throat lightly — he suddenly very much wanted to change the subject so the topic of women's breasts wouldn't be discussed anymore, as it was an extremely delicate matter that required the right time and place.
"I'd say 'yes' in this situation. But I know for sure you weren't looking for me just to show me your chest — you came to tell me it's time to go. Am I right?" Alex said, deciding to change the topic because he knew where this could lead.
"Answer the question. Yes or no," Integra said in a cold tone, narrowing her eyes.
"My answer is yes. Yes, I want to see it, and that's normal. Does that satisfy you, Integra?" Alex said calmly.
"Quite. Then when we return, you'll sleep in my room again. And that's not up for discussion," Integra said, nodding and looking at Alex.
"Of course, Integra. Are you ready to go?" Alex asked, standing up from the table.
"Yes. The car is already waiting at the entrance. Hurry up. We don't know when Millennium will decide to launch their attack… Seras, I'm leaving the manor in your hands," Integra said, looking at Alex before shifting her gaze to Seras.
"Yes, ma'am! I won't let you down," Seras said, immediately standing up.
"I believe in you, Seras. Compared to how you were in the past, you're handling things far better now. Keep it up," Integra said with a light, sincere smile.
Hearing Integra's words, Seras smiled genuinely and nodded with a smile on her face. Alex stood up from the table and stroked Seras's hair, also showing his support and that he believed in her too. Picking Alessa up in his arms, Alex followed Integra, who left the kitchen first.
When Alex, Alessa, and Integra left, Seras looked at the vial of Alex's blood, and her resolve to become stronger only grew firmer. But Seras understood that this still wasn't enough — she needed to take the final step, one she didn't yet know or understand how to take in order to change while still remaining herself.
Looking at Alex's blood in the vial, Seras carefully took it in her hands and placed it in her breast pocket next to her heart, feeling that this way Alex would be close to her if something bad happened.
Seras had felt this sensation more than once — when something terrible was about to happen. Placing her hand over the pocket where Alex's blood rested, Seras took a deep breath and immediately pulled herself together. Because this time she was determined to protect what was dear to her.
Meanwhile, Alex, Integra, and Alessa stepped outside and got into the car to head back to Britain's Security Service headquarters. As the car pulled away, Integra looked out the window while Alessa sat beside her, still texting her sisters.
Alex sent a very short and simple message to all his people: "Nine o'clock." And that single message was enough for them to understand what it meant. Because at nine o'clock that evening the attack on London would begin — giving them time for final preparations.
Putting his phone away, Alex hoped nothing would happen to Seras and that she would be able to accept what he had given her. But he knew Seras would manage, and he didn't want her to get hurt — which was why he had taken such a step.
"Ugo, turn here at the corner. I want to stop by the pastry shop," Alex said, turning his head toward the front of the car.
"Will do, boss," Ugo replied and turned at the next corner.
Integra only turned her head toward Alex and made no comment about the fact that he decided to make a stop at the pastry shop before they reached the Security Service headquarters. She had already noticed Alex's strong sweet tooth more than once and therefore didn't react.
When Ugo parked the car near the pastry shop, Alex hadn't even managed to get out before Walter stepped out first and returned a couple of minutes later with a box of strawberry cake. Alex couldn't help but smile at Walter's gesture and gave a slight nod, taking the cake box from Walter's hands.
"Should I hire a pastry chef?" Integra asked, looking at Alex.
"That's up to you, my dear wife. If I want something sweet, I can make it myself or fly to the other side of the world to buy what I need. For example, limited-edition sweets released daily in one little shop in Japan," Alex said, stroking his chin.
"All I've seen so far is you eating strawberry cake. And that silly strawberry cake song you're always humming," Integra said, giving Alex a blank stare.
"I just love strawberries. We've already talked about this: everyone has their preferences. I also love hugging. Want a little hug?" Alex said cheerfully, extending his arms toward Integra.
Integra looked at Alex with a blank expression — neither refusing nor agreeing to his offer. She decided to let Alex decide whether to hug her or not. Alex smiled lightly and placed the cake box on Alessa's lap, to which Alessa responded by raising her hands and placing them on top of the box so it wouldn't bother her.
Alex reached out and gently wrapped his arms around Integra's waist, pressing his cheek to hers. Alex knew Integra was still affected by what she had seen through their link thanks to the contract, so he decided to take advantage of the moment while she was still showing softness. Integra felt Alex's arms around her and his cheek against hers, and that warmth felt very comforting to her. But she didn't show it on her face.
After a couple of minutes, Integra raised her hand and pushed Alex's face away, indicating that was enough. Alex only laughed and quickly kissed Integra on the cheek before sitting back properly. Integra exhaled through her nose — feeling no irritation, only another faint surprise that Alex wanted to kiss a woman like her.
Soon the car arrived at the Security Service headquarters. Alex got out first, holding the box of strawberry cake, and helped Alessa and Integra out of the car. Before leaving, Alex looked at Ugo and nodded. Ugo returned the nod, showing he understood.
Alex smiled and followed Integra and Alessa toward the elevator. Integra walked ahead, holding Alessa's hand while Alessa held her creepy rabbit Robbie in the other. Once inside the elevator, Alex himself pressed the button for the lowest floor where the bunker was located. While the elevator descended, Alex checked the time — it was only one in the afternoon, leaving a full eight hours before Millennium's invasion.
Walking down the long corridor, Alex and Integra once again entered the observation headquarters, where work was, as usual, in full swing. Alex once again scanned everyone present — including those who were vampires. Smiling lightly, Alex sat at the table next to Integra, placing the cake box on the table.
"Sir Penwood, care for some strawberry cake? You've been working hard, and you should recharge to keep commanding. As you know, sweets help the brain work," Alex said with a kind smile.
"I think… I'll accept your offer, Sir Voldigoad. A short break for afternoon tea won't hurt," Penwood said with a faint smile of relief.
Alex smiled and looked at Walter. Walter understood Alex's look without words and immediately left, returning a short while later with plates. All this time Alex smiled and spoke to everyone in a friendly manner — including Penwood — to ease the tension. No one could understand the reason for Alex's sudden change in behavior, but his friendly demeanor made people relax.
Alex offered cake not only to senior officers but also to juniors. Most refused, and Alex didn't insist. Integra watched Alex's actions with an analyzing gaze, trying to figure out why he was doing this. Alex deliberately offered cake to those who had defected to Millennium's side — even knowing they would refuse, citing work and no time for tea parties.
In response, Alex only shrugged with a smile, continuing to display his friendliness. All this time he behaved like a friendly guy trying to make up for pouring coffee in Senior Officer Berkeley's face — and so decided to apologize in this way. When Alex sat back down, Integra lightly kicked his leg under the table, hinting that he should explain what the whole performance was for.
Alex only responded with a smile, showing that she needed to figure it out herself. Integra narrowed her eyes and noticed that some senior officers were eating cake while others refused under various pretexts. Integra's eyes narrowed further as she lightly clenched her thin cigar between her teeth.
Integra kicked Alex's leg again under the table to find out if she had correctly understood the reason for his actions. In response, Alex slid his phone toward her with the message: "All the rats will gather in one place when the time comes."
Integra saw the message and gave a barely noticeable nod, but her gaze became even colder — though she quickly hid it behind her usual detached mask. None of those present even suspected that traitors were among them — or that those traitors had already carried out sabotage, ensuring Millennium's attack would go unnoticed until their airships were directly over London.
But that was exactly what Alex wanted — London was the stage he had prepared to kill all his enemies at once instead of hunting them down everywhere. Soon after the tea break, work in the observation headquarters began boiling again. Meanwhile, Alex was busy reading news on his phone while occasionally stroking Alessa's hair and showing various news items to Integra, who occasionally glanced away from her work.
Time continued to pass slowly, and at some point Alex simply closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair to nap a little and pass the time. And soon the moment Alex had been waiting for arrived. The signal for that moment was the alarm that began sounding from the map.
When the alarm sounded, everyone turned their gaze to the large map where green lights marked British military bases with active connections. But in one instant all those green lights turned red. The observation room immediately erupted in noise, and the officers responsible for communications began working to find out what had happened.
"Admiral, something's wrong! We've lost connection with government headquarters! We can't reach them. We've also lost connection with London regiments," said the communications officer.
Right after the communications officer's words, silence fell — and Penwood was the most stunned of all, because he didn't know what to do in such a situation. Integra instantly understood that it had already begun — and this was only the start; things would only get worse — or rather, turn into real hell. But the communications officers didn't stop there and had to continue their report.
"All telephone lines and internet in the city center and surrounding areas are down! No connection with the aircraft carrier Ark Royal! No connection with the Southend airbase!" another officer began reporting.
"Dorsetshire — no connection either!" another officer shouted, spinning in his chair.
"Sir, we've lost connection with army units in Royal Greenwich!" yet another officer shouted, standing up from his seat.
"Sir, we can't reach Atlantic Fleet headquarters!.. No connection with the State Security Control headquarters or intelligence liaison… No connection with the destroyer Fort Crest on the Thames!.. No connection with any police cordons…" officers reported one after another.
Reports of lost connections with various sites came one after another — as soon as one was made, the next followed, all sounding the same: connection lost. Alex — who had been dozing until then — opened his eyes at the noise and rubbed them, listening to the commotion around him.
Yawning lightly, Alex stretched his neck slightly. He perfectly understood that this was standard sabotage to isolate London from outside communication so no one could come to the rescue or issue orders. After all, without a commander to rally the troops, such a war was easy to win. Alex only shook his head, once again considering the Major's plan extremely well thought out.
Integra looked at Alex, and she perfectly understood that he had known this would happen. But Penwood was the most nervous of all — realizing that war had begun and he wasn't prepared, nor was anyone else present ready for war. The only one — apart from Alex — who didn't care was Alessa, who continued sitting calmly on Alex's lap, watching the panic around her.
"It can't be! What is this… Has war really begun?" Penwood said in a stunned tone, jumping up so abruptly that his chair fell to the floor, overwhelmed by the feeling that everything had collapsed in an instant.
"Admiral, we received a message from the nearest Irish regiment headquarters. We are under attack by an unknown enemy! They're monsters! Save us — they're monsters!" the communications officer read aloud the last message.
What the communications officer read made the atmosphere even heavier than before. And no one could deny any longer that war had begun. And they would be fighting not against humans — but against monsters.
But no one could fully comprehend it yet — for everyone present, such a situation was happening for the first time, and no one understood what to do or how to react. Everyone simply froze in place, waiting for further orders. But Penwood himself didn't know what orders to give in such a situation.
"So it's begun… The war has begun…" Integra said, clenching her thin cigar between her teeth.
The moment Integra spoke those words, the doors to the observation headquarters were kicked open — and armed soldiers in British uniforms burst into the room, immediately pointing their weapons at everyone present — especially at Alex and Integra. The officers Alex had been watching bared their vampire fangs, no longer hiding their nature. One of the senior officers wanted to shout to find out what was happening — but immediately received a rifle butt to the face and fell to the floor, clutching his broken nose.
Alex and Integra sat as though nothing was happening; even Alessa showed no reaction to the gun pointed at her — after all, such a weapon couldn't harm her at all, especially with Alex nearby. One of the vampire officers drew his pistol and aimed it at Integra, while the one standing beside him aimed at Alex.
"Don't even think about trying anything, Lady Hellsing, Sir Hellsing. Otherwise a bullet might accidentally hit your child… This place is now under Millennium's control," the senior officer said with an arrogant smile.
"Captain… What… What does this mean?!" Penwood shouted, not expecting a traitor among his subordinates.
"Silence! Admiral, it means being a vampire is far more interesting than being human," the captain said, baring his vampire fangs.
Following the vampire captain's words came light laughter from all the traitor vampires pointing weapons at everyone in the observation room. After all, they had believed until the last moment that a vampire's life was far more interesting — that they wouldn't have to die and would live long lives.
The captain's words stunned everyone present, and Penwood collapsed back into his chair in shock, hitting his back against the backrest. And the sight of Penwood's stunned face only triggered another wave of laughter among the traitor vampires.
"How lucky we are! We've captured not only Lady Hellsing but also her newlywed husband and daughter. I'm sure my lord deputy will be very pleased with such a gift when we bring him the remnants of the Hellsing family," the second captain said, laughing and looking at Alex and Integra.
Alex, Integra, and Alessa watched this performance with blank faces — as though it didn't concern them. Alex merely yawned at such threats, showing he didn't care at all. Alessa gave a blank stare to those aiming weapons at her. Integra only chuckled mockingly, looking at all the traitors. And her contempt was clearly visible on her face — something she definitely wasn't hiding.
"What are you laughing at, woman!" the vampire captain shouted, aiming his pistol at Integra's head.
"You're nothing but newborn vampires. And we belong to an organization that exterminates scum like you. A tadpole that hasn't even lost its tail yet telling a snake how lucky it is. Funny thing, you treacherous pig," Integra said, still laughing with contempt while looking at the vampires around her.
"You bitch. One more word — and I'll kill that child!" the captain shouted, turning his pistol toward Alessa.
"Idiot. If you had kept aiming at me or my husband — you might have lived a few seconds longer. But now this is your end, traitor," Integra said with pity, shaking her head.
"What…" the captain said — and then froze in place.
Alex and Integra only shook their heads — Integra had been right when she said threatening Alessa so openly was a mistake, and the fact that Alex hadn't done anything yet meant nothing. But in that same moment a very distant siren sound echoed through the observation room.
And in that same instant, next to the captain aiming his pistol at Alessa, a tall silhouette began to appear — one that gripped the captain's hand with such force that it was crushed like a sponge. When the silhouette fully formed, everyone saw a tall creature resembling a muscular man with an iron pyramid on his head. With a sharp jerk, it tore the captain's arm off. And right after the first Pyramid Head appeared another one.
All the traitor vampires instinctively felt fear toward the Pyramid Heads and immediately opened fire on them. But all the bullets that hit the Pyramid Heads simply bounced off their bodies. The first Pyramid Head raised his enormous rusty cleaver covered in blood and made one wide swing — slicing all the nearest vampires in half.
The captain — lying on the floor clutching the stump of his torn-off arm — didn't even have time to scream before his head was crushed under the Pyramid Head's foot. And while the Pyramid Heads killed the vampires, Walter used his wires to protect Integra, Alex, and Alessa — as befitted a butler. But now Walter understood what kind of bodyguards Alessa had been talking about in the car with Alex and Integra.
No one had time to understand what was happening before the two Pyramid Heads had already killed all the vampires and vanished as suddenly as they had appeared. And all that remained of their presence were the corpses of the vampires — sliced apart and killed instantly.
The metallic smell of blood filled the air, and bodies lay scattered around. The only ones who remained calm in this situation were Alex, Integra, Alessa, and Walter — while the rest of the officers who hadn't turned traitor and had managed to survive froze in shock at everything that had happened in that brief moment.
To be continued...
(So, here it is, the lead-up to the fall of London. I think I'll show everything, including the attack on Hellsing's estate, and how Seras will become stronger and more badass, and all that jazz. What's next on our agenda? Murders, and more murders, and even more murders. Well, and probably some more murders. And then ponies, or no ponies. Who knows. Basically, peace, love, and if there's a monster living under your bed, demand rent from it. I'm going to go eat.)
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