A House to A|ucard (Anthology •Hellsing)

Stealing glances -nice & hard (2)

Alucard approaches Sir Integra with irritation. He is beginning to crack Ksenia's shell. It is bits and pieces of history that only one alive would know. Her use of words and switching between several languages is a give away. The raven haired woman is as old as he, perhaps even older.

What my dear Ksenia, are you? Why are you here?

Ksenia finishes her absinthe with a swift lick of her long tongue when no one is looking. A low rumbling purr emanates from her chest. The Hellsing watchdog is elsewhere with its Master.

'How terribly dreadful, to have a master.' she thinks.

The older woman silently makes her way to the Hellsing library. Her palms slide against the wooden door. Ksenia loves the feel of old heavy wooden doors. Oak is her favorite. The woman has roamed in once great forested lands that are no more. She steps with purpose into the said destination.

Ksenia runs her fingers along the book spines, lightly tapping on ones she has read and enjoyed. She smiles as if pleasant memories are connected with each book. After several minutes, the book she seeks is not presenting itself.

Where would a human put this book?

The princess saunters over to a section with old ethnic recipe books. Ksenia lets a soft laugh out with a hint of a purr. An Alchemist book among old gourmet cook books. Such irony is it not?

Her slender fingers pull the old book from the shelf above her. She walks around a brown leather couch, the open book in her left hand and her right hand pointer finger curls on her plump lip. Her green eyes twinkle with pleasure at her find. It's time to slip away with this new found treasure.

"Something pleases you princess?" the vampire murmurs seductively.

"Quite a fass-scinating book I like to as-k Sir Hells-ssing if I can borrow it...is-s all," Ksenia says as innocently as possible.

Alucard removes his glasses as if his intense vampiric eyes will intimidate her. "No Ksenia. Hand me the book or I will hurt you... severally. I don't know yet what you are but that book can not leave Hellsing manor."

"You think yo-ou k-caan dictate to My Ki-ind, undead one-e? Mee, of my lineagee?" says Ksenia with a hiss. "Sskhiska tronth danothska fa lissk!"

Alucard tilts his head. The language doesn't remotely sound human as it contains high pitched hisses and low rumbling tones to the vowels. He may not understand this foreign and inhuman language but he knows exactly what is most likely standing before him. What this inhuman female is, can be summoned up in two words: Flying Furnace.

Ksenia stands up straight to become the same height as the vampire and glares at Alucard. Her eyes turn to slits like green cat eyes. A small twisting stream of black smoke trickles out of her right nostril.

"My ki-ind does-ss not bow to anyone...vampi-ire. Comee and s-see if yo-ou can take-e the bo-ok from me, if yo-ou dare-e?" Ksenia answers arrogantly.

Alucard chuckles as he watches her body shift to reveal more of her draconian features. Black ridged horns sprout from her head as her nails turn long and black to match. The dress reverts to scales as her dragon's tail appears in proportion to the rest of the body that is human in nature.

"What co-ould possibly be s-so fun-ny Drakkulya khans-sa Vividks-sa?" she rumbles in a low sultry voice. Ksenia realizes in her irritated state she has let slip his name and title in Dragonese.

"Drakkulya Khansa Vividksa is my name in your language?" Alucard inquires with a genuine smile. "I am flattered that the son of the dragon has his name also in the dragon language."