When Darkness Burns

:Chapter 3:

*Farley*

I woke up to a pounding headache, my body felt sore, but I was otherwise fine. I slowly sat up, rubbing my head as I did, and carefully opened my eyes, to find I wasn't in my hotel room. I was actually in a stone cellar sort of place, almost like a dungeon of sorts. I carefully looked around, and saw my guns and goggles were set next to me, and I finally had the events of last night catch up to me, a hard to suppress groan escaping me. 

" Good evening, my Fledgling. How do you feel?" 

" Sore, to be quite frank. My head is pounding and my body hates me. How did I get here? And even better question, where is here?" 

" You are in my room in the Sub-basement of the Hellsing Manor. I brought you here after you passed out from the pain your injury had caused." 

" I feel very stupid right now, but I don't even know your name, and yet, I am literally indebted to you. Thank you, for saving my life." 

" You have the next few centuries, possibly longer, to pay back such debt. My name is Alucard, but you will address me as Master. Is this understood?"

" Yes, Master. Um, I guess I should tell you my name. I'm Farley, Farley O'Maide."

" How old are you, Farley?" 

" I'm 28. I've been a huntress since I was 23." 

" 5 years into the hunter's world. What brought you in?" 

" I lost my husband to a werewolf attack. After that, I decided to destroy every last wolf I could." 

" I'm sorry to hear you were widowed. How long were you two married for?" 

" We got married fresh out of secondary school, not even a week after graduating. We were both 18. He died when I was 22." 

" Barely an adult, and lost so much already. What was his name?" 

" Alexander, but everyone called him Xander." 

" Where are you from?" 

" I was born in Wick, but was raised in Dublin till I was 13, then we moved to Edinburgh, where I graduated, and after I lost my husband, I moved to London." 

" So you are a blend of Scottish and Irish?" 

" You could say that, yes. My Mam was Irish, but my Althair was Scottish, as was my husband." 

" I see. That explains the hair." 

" Oh no, I was born pale blonde, this is just a visit to see the stylist every few months." 

Master nodded, then got up and grabbed a dress bag off of a hook on the wall. 

" This is your new uniform, seeing as yours is destroyed. The butler, Walter, had them made for you as a replacement. I had it modeled after what you have on. I will leave, so you may change. I'll be right outside the door. When you are done, you are to report to me." 

" Yes, Master. Thank you. You are being awful nice to me. Why?" 

" Because I know you feel regret in your choice, but I understand why you made it. You are the first fledgling I have made in centuries, so understand you have great expectations on you. How do you have your ability to manipulate fire, by the way?"

" I was born as a pyrokinetic. My parents told me that I needed to learn to control my gift and to hide it from everyone."

" What is a pyrokinetic?" 

" Someone who can manipulate and start fire with only the mind. It's a type of Psychic Gift." 

" I see. Well, I'll be in the hallway." 

Master left, and I got up and looked at what I had been sleeping on, only to see it was a coffin. An involuntary shiver crawled down my back. I opened the bag, and saw that it was almost an exact replica, just a touch more yellow then the one I had. I changed, and I loved it. It was the perfect fit and everything. I noticed that the jacket I had on was ruined, and it made me feel horrible. It was the last thing my husband ever gave me before he died. I had to swallow the pain in my chest that formed every time I thought of him. I loved Xander with every fiber of my being, and when I saw the wolf snap his neck with one good smack to his jaw...I wanted to die, and if I hadn't stayed hidden, I never would've survived. When the wolf had believed he had been alone, he simply left. I had chased him down and killed him the very next night, and enjoyed burning him alive, having trapped him in his home. 

I carried my coat with me, made sure my holster was on, and put on my goggles before I went out the door, finding my new master leaning against the wall. 

" Let's go. My Master is wanting to meet you, Farley." 

I followed him, and we made our way to a set of a double doors, which Master knocked on, and without a response, he opens the door and we walk in. Behind a desk was a blonde, and she made me want to strangle her just from looking at her. She looked so arrogant and bitchy. 

" I see your fledgling woke up. Tell me, girl, what is your name?" 

" My name is Farley O'Maide, and I know I'm older than you. Please do not compare me to a child." 

" Farley, be nice. This is Sir Integra Hellsing, and you will be living in her home." 

" I don't care, I'm 28 years old, I refuse to be called a child." 

" You're 28?! You barely look 20!" 

I let myself have a smug grin, crossing my arms and cocking my hip to the side. She shook off my smirk, and gave me a glare. 

" Either way, I believe that now that you are awake, you both can start working. There is a vampire proving to be a issue in Northern Ireland at an orphanage. Search and destroy." 

As we went to leave, Master took my coat from me, making me panic. 

" What are you doing with that, Master?"

" It needs to be mended and cleaned, yes?" 

" I-I can do that myself! Please, don't take it from me!" 

" It's just a coat." 

" It's not just a coat! My husband gave it to me the day he..."  I lost the words in my throat, tears were threatening to fall. Master gave me a sympathetic, gentle smile, and gave it back to me. 

" Apologies, I didn't know. Now, come. We have a vampire to kill." 

I pulled it on, and noticed the straps to buckle it closed were ruined, and that the sleeves had blood splatter on them. I'll have to give it a light scrub and a decent mend later on. 

" Grab my arm." 

I hesitate, then held on, my world going black as I felt my body go light.