Chapter 60:
– Valarie –
The young woman who had been trying to break through the wards lunged at me again. Her pretty sea-green eyes blazing with frustration, that gorgeous black hair whipping around her face as she swung her enchanted sword at my head.
I blocked her sword, again—easily.
Bloodflames—my new Balance Breaker powers—curled around my hands and fingers, crackling with dark red and black fire. Each time her sword connected with the flames, there was a sharp hiss, a flash of sparks, and that same little gasp she couldn't quite hide.
She kept coming, sweat starting to bead on her forehead, her tight shirt sticking to her as she poured everything she had into each swing.
I grinned, loving every second. "There's nothing quite like watching a beautiful girl get all worked up and sweaty for me." I licked my lips slowly, letting her see how much I was enjoying myself.
She stopped mid-swing, cheeks flushed and lips parted in shock. "Why—why do you have to put it like that?" she sputtered, gripping her sword tighter. "This is supposed to be a fight!"
"Not much of one, honestly," I shrugged, cocking my head and giving her a slow, deliberate once-over. "You're cute when you're angry, but you clearly have no idea how to actually call on those divine powers of yours."
She suddenly stopped, pouted, and glared at me. "Stop trying to trick me, monster."
I actually laughed, cocking an eyebrow. "Monster? Wow, that's a little racist, don't you think?" I spun a Bloodflame around my finger just to annoy her. "At best, I'm half a monster. I'm a Dhampir, thank you very much. And honestly, most normal people would probably see you as a monster too, running around with that sword and all. Attacking random people's homes..."
She stomped her foot. "That's not true! I'm a hero! I save normal people from monsters!"
"Oh really?" I shot her a sly grin. "How many people have you actually saved, personally?"
That tripped her up. She blinked, mouth opening and closing, then stared down at her shoes. "Well, um, I haven't really saved anyone myself. But I go on really important quests for the gods all the time..."
I gave her my best deadpan stare. "Uh-huh. And how exactly does that help normal people?"
She fell silent, avoiding my eyes. We both stood there in front of Hellsing's massive gates. I watched her face—she looked lost, maybe even a little ashamed, knuckles white as she squeezed the hilt of her sword. Finally, she took a shaky breath, cheeks flaming red, and mumbled, "Helping the gods helps normal people. Because if the gods get angry, they hurt people. A lot. So… we do what they say so nobody gets hurt?" she said her answer like a question. As if she didn't really know if that was right or not.
It was not, obviously.
I just stared at her, my mouth dropping open. For a second, I couldn't even find the words. "Are you seriously listening to yourself right now? You realize how completely fucked up that logic is, right? You're basically saying you help some random gods with petty tasks, just so they don't throw a tantrum and start killing people instead!"
She stamped her foot so hard the cracked driveway split a little wider, eyes blazing. "Of course I know it's fucked up! But the gods are the gods! They're immortal and all-powerful and no one can oppose them! Not me, not you, not anyone!"
I shook my head. "And which lame and petty gods are you even talking about?"
"That would be the Greek gods, of course," a familiar voice drawled behind me.
I nearly jumped out of my skin, spinning around as my father, Alucard, slid out of my shadow with that devilish grin of his. He loved scaring me by doing that!
"Dad! Seriously?"
He just kept grinning, sharp fangs showing as he dusted off his long red coat. "You're much stronger now, my daughter," he said, pride bleeding into his voice—obviously referencing my new Balance Breaker. "But you still need to work on your awareness. Letting your old man sneak up on you? Tsk Tsk."
I rolled my ruby-red eyes, but couldn't hide a small smirk.
His attention shifted to Persephone, the supposed hero I'd been sparring with. I could see him sizing her up, red eyes glinting with something between curiosity and mischief.
Honestly, I still wasn't even sure why this girl was so determined to break through Hellsing's wards—she kept insisting her kid brother was inside.
As if we went around kidnapping children....
Alucard gave Persephone a lazy wave. "Hello there. You must be looking for your little brother—the one I kidnapped."
My jaw dropped.
"THE FUCK, DAD!? You kidnapped a kid? Seriously?"
He winked at me as if that was a normal response to my question. "Of course I did…" Only Alucard could say that with a straight face, and somehow, now it all made way too much sense.
And I owed this girl an apology...
—
…I shifted a bit on the plush couch in one of Hellsing Manor's ornate drawing rooms, the soft velvet cushions sinking slightly beneath me. Across from me, the dark-haired girl sat staring with an expression somewhere between deadpan amusement and outright judgment.
Her intense sea-green eyes narrowed slightly as she watched me squirm. Freaking dad made me sound like a liar out there!
We were alone for now as we waited. Alucard had slipped downstairs to retrieve the girl's younger brother—who apparently had been playing video games with him and Gasper this entire time.
So much for insisting earlier that Hellsing didn't kidnap kids…
The girl leaned forward a little, resting her elbows casually on her knees, giving me a teasing grin. "So," she drawled, "what was that you were saying earlier about how you guys don't kidnap children?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
My cheeks flushed hot, and I glared at her, pouting defensively as I crossed my arms under my breasts, lifting them slightly. Her eyes dipped for half a second before darting quickly back up to mine, her cheeks coloring just faintly. Good to know I had her distracted. "Look," I snapped back irritably, shifting in place. "We don't "normally" kidnap anyone..."
Narcissa's former husband didn't count, he was a magical terrorist.
"Could've fooled me," she retorted, leaning back with an annoyingly smug look. She brushed a stray lock of silky black hair behind her ear. "I mean, my brother is literally here against his will."
Of course she leaves out the part where her brother tried to assassinate Alucard…
"Well maybe you should stop and ask yourself why these supposed gods you serve keep sending literal children on dangerous missions across the globe." I shot her a pointed look, narrowing my eyes. "Or is critical thinking above your paygrade, hero girl?"
Her face flushed even deeper, her defiance cracking slightly as she bit down softly on her lower lip. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, tugging nervously at the hem of her shirt. "I... I don't get to ask questions," she finally muttered quietly. "Heroes just obey, and we do what we're told by the gods."
I shook my head. "Unbelievable. Do you even know who Alucard is? Who exactly it was that your kid brother just tried to attack?" I asked bluntly.
If Alucard had never met me, and "chilled out" that kid would 100% be dead...
The girl tilted her head, genuinely confused, her big innocent eyes wide. "He's a vampire, right?"
I let out an incredulous laugh. This girl really had no clue at all. "Oh honey," I said, leaning forward so our faces were only inches apart, making her squirm, "my father's name is Alucard. Spell it backwards. Maybe that'll help clear things up for you."
Her expression faltered, embarrassment quickly replacing confusion. Her cheeks burned an even deeper shade of red, eyes flickering nervously away from mine. "Um…" She shifted uncomfortably, fingers twisting together. "This is awkward. But uh—I'm actually dyslexic. Spelling's… really hard for me."
I blinked, momentarily thrown off balance.
Well, fuck. That made this whole clever reveal way less dramatic than I'd planned. Now, I felt bad again. Just a little.
"Okay... Sorry, I didn't mean to make things weird."
She shrugged helplessly, looking vulnerable for the first time. "No big deal. Just…tell me who your dad really is already?"
A soft chuckle escaped my lips as I shook my head slowly, leaning back comfortably into the cushions. "My father," I said gently, meeting her wide-eyed gaze, "is Dracula himself! The original vampire. King of the Monsters. All that good stuff...." I chuckled.
The girl's whole body shivered visibly at my revelation. Her bright sea-green eyes widened as she shifted nervously in her seat, tugging anxiously at her dark hair. "Dracula? Like the movies?" she asked, voice trembling slightly. "Those always creeped me out. Wait—ARE THEY REAL!?"
I couldn't help myself. I burst out laughing, shaking my head as I leaned back into the velvet couch cushions. "Fuck no," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Those old movies are cheesy bullshit...."
"Oh good…" She let out a shaky sigh of relief, her tense shoulders relaxing slightly.
But that relief vanished as I gave her a wicked grin, leaning forward again and lowering my voice. "Trust me, sweetheart—the real Dracula is way scarier. He's terrifying enough that even gods piss themselves and run screaming when he shows up!"
She stiffened again immediately, her beautiful olive skin going a shade paler as her eyes filled with fear. "You—you can't say things like that," she hissed desperately, glancing around the room with wide, anxious eyes. "The gods might hear you! They're always listening!"
I laughed again, more bitter this time, casually stretching my legs out in front of me. "Your Greek gods wouldn't dare to spread their senses anywhere near Hellsing Manor," I declared bluntly.
The girl's mouth fell open in shock. Her eyes darted up towards the ceiling nervously, as if waiting for lightning or thunder, or some dramatic divine punishment.
A long moment passed in tense silence, nothing happening at all.
Yeah, I didn't think so...
I smirked, spreading my arms wide. "See? Told you. No balls..."
"I can't believe you just said that..." She slowly relaxed, a confused and slightly awed look crossing her pretty face.
Figuring it was time to finally get some answers, I leaned forward, propping my chin in my hand, eyes locked firmly onto hers. "So," I purred slowly, "now that we've established that your gods aren't here, I think it's about time you tell me your name, beautiful. You already know mine. I'm Valerie Tepes."
She blinked rapidly, her smooth olive cheeks instantly flushing dark crimson. "Beautiful?" she squeaked, sounding genuinely shocked by the word. "Me?"
"Yes, you," I told her. "Look around. There's literally only two of us here, and I'm pretty damn sure I wasn't talking about myself. I'm not that narcissistic."
Ok, I am, but I wouldn't admit that out loud. Usually.
She flushed even deeper, biting nervously into her soft bottom lip, eyes shyly meeting mine again. "I—I'm Persephone," she finally murmured, voice barely above a whisper. "Persephone Jackson."
She was so confident earlier when we were fighting and now she was so shy.
"Persephone, huh? Like the goddess of spring, queen of the underworld, all that jazz?"
She shrugged awkwardly. "Yeah. My mom named me after her. It's...complicated."
"Considering you showed up swinging a magic sword," I replied with a wry smirk, "I kinda figured."
Persephone gave a quiet little laugh at that, visibly relaxing as she curled her legs up on the couch. "So…if Dracula's your father, does that make you, like, some kinda vampire princess?"
I grinned wickedly, flashing my sharp fangs at her teasingly. "Dhampir princess, technically," I corrected, giving her a playful wink.
Persephone smiled despite herself, shaking her head softly. "This is so fucking weird," she admitted quietly, glancing around again. "I literally spent my life believing vampires like you were just scary stories. I guess I didn't believe in the gods either until they started dominating my life either."
That didn't sound fun or healthy...
"Yet here we are, both very real, and sitting awkwardly together on a couch while my father retrieves your kidnapped brother," I replied.
"Fuck, when you put it like that, it sounds even worse," she grumbled softly, rubbing her face with one hand.
– Persephone –
Persephone felt a surge of relief when Percy finally appeared—alive, unharmed, and annoyingly cheerful—as he bounded up the stairs beside Alucard. Who was apparently freaking DRACULA!
Her relief quickly shifted to mild irritation when he started excitedly babbling about everything he'd been doing this whole time she'd been frantically trying to rescue him. "Oh man, Seph, you won't believe how cool Alucard's man-cave is!" Percy gushed, completely oblivious to the tense atmosphere around him. Or maybe that was just her. "He's got all these video games and screens—there's nothing even close to this awesome back at camp!" Percy declared happily.
Persephone rolled her eyes, crossing her arms beneath her chest and tapping her foot impatiently. Sure, she understood Percy's excitement. Camp Half-Blood was practically medieval, existing only to turn kids into obedient soldiers for Zeus and the rest of the Greek pantheon. Of course he'd lose his mind at the sight of modern technology. But seriously, did he have to act so damn happy after she'd nearly gotten herself killed trying to rescue him from vampires?
Ok, well... She was never in any danger she supposed in hindsight since the pretty—very pretty—vampire Valerie was mostly humoring her. But Persephone still felt like she was in danger when none of her attacks could even scratch her opponent! She never thought she was that WEAK.
Percy was still talking animatedly, oblivious to his sister's growing irritation. "And get this, Seph—there was even this super pretty maid named Bellatrix who kept bringing us snacks and drinks. She was so nice! And Alucard's son Gasper dresses like a girl for some reason, but honestly, he's so cool! He's like crazy good at gaming too—we didn't lose a single online match! Everyone online was totally salty."
Persephone sighed loudly, dragging a hand down her face in exasperation. "Percy, shut up for two seconds, okay? Do you even realize I thought you might be dead?"
Percy blinked, tilting his head sheepishly. "Oh… sorry, Seph."
Persephone flushed angrily, glaring daggers at him. "Is that all you have to say?"
"Sorry," Percy mumbled, looking genuinely embarrassed now as he fidgeted with his hands. "I didn't mean to scare you like that. It's just... they were really nice here. Despite the fact I got kidnapped and stuff. Is it weird a place full of monsters and witches is nice? Are only the Greek monsters assholes or something?"
That was a question she didn't know the answer too.
Persephone blew out a frustrated breath, softening slightly despite herself.
It wasn't really Percy's fault—he was sweet and trusting, always ready to make friends even with literal monsters. She reached over, lightly ruffling his messy hair, her expression softening. "Whatever, Percy. I'm just glad you're okay. Next time, try not to get kidnapped by vampires though, yeah?"
Percy grinned up at her, the tension between them easing. "I'll try my best," he laughed. Then, glancing around, he lowered his voice conspiratorially, eyes sparkling with excitement. "So, apparently we're about to meet the person who actually owns this whole mansion. Did you notice all the armed mercenaries walking around? This place is hardcore."
Of course it was considering what Valerie told her this place was. An entire organization dedicated to hunting monsters. Why couldn't they have that back in Greece? Why did children have to go out and risk their lives instead?
Persephone glanced around at the lavishly decorated hallway. "Do you know who owns this place?" she asked, glancing down at Percy.
He shrugged helplessly. "Alucard called her 'Sir Integra,' which I thought was kinda weird because she's apparently a lady. But everyone seems terrified of her, even Alucard. So... I guess she's important?"
The heavy mahogany door in front of them opened smoothly, revealing an older man dressed in a neatly pressed black butler uniform. He stood straight-backed, glasses reflecting the dim lighting, and offered them a polite bow. "Good afternoon," he greeted them, voice calm and proper. "My name is Walter. Sir Integra is ready to speak with you both now. If you would follow me, please..."
Walter stepped back, holding the ornate door open wider for them to enter.
Persephone exchanged a cautious glance with Percy before straightening her shoulders and stepping forward into the intimidating office. Inside, behind an expansive, elegantly-carved desk cluttered with neatly-stacked papers and a heavy silver ashtray, sat a sharp-eyed woman with long platinum blonde hair, dressed in a tailored suit. She regarded them silently through thin-rimmed glasses, her ice-blue gaze measuring them intensely.
Now she knew why the vampires all thought this woman was scary. Wasn't she just a regular human? What was with this terrifyingly judgmental aura this woman had!?
"Come closer," Sir Integra ordered coolly, gesturing to the chairs arranged neatly before her desk. "I want to know why two 'Demigods' are in my country, causing chaos and attacking my assets.
The woman's intense stare made Persephone nervous as she sat down in the chair facing her. She shifted uncomfortably, wishing she could be anywhere else. Percy didn't seem to notice how tense things were—he immediately leaned forward, looking excited and eager.
"Zeus sent me here to kill the red dragon vampire guy!" Percy blurted out excitedly, bouncing slightly in his seat.
Integra raised an eyebrow slightly, folding her hands neatly on her desk as she looked at Percy with clear disapproval. "Zeus," she repeated flatly, her voice laced with disbelief and derision. "The king of Olympus himself sent a child to assassinate one of the most powerful beings currently residing under my protection?"
Percy faltered, shrinking slightly in his seat. "Um, well, yeah, kinda," he murmured sheepishly. "He said it was a really important mission, and I—"
"Important?" Integra interrupted coldly. "And did this 'king of the gods' bother to inform you of precisely who this 'red dragon vampire' is, or the consequences of provoking him within my territory?"
Percy visibly gulped as he glanced nervously at Persephone, who was frantically shaking her head at him.
"Not exactly," Percy admitted quietly, sinking lower into his chair.
Persephone cleared her throat awkwardly, attempting to interject and regain control of the conversation. "Lady... I mean 'Sir' Integra," she began softly, wincing at the woman's glare for using the wrong title. "We honestly had no choice. Zeus ordered us on this quest...or rather assassination mission personally. If we said no, then he would harm us...or our mothers," she finished with a grimace. Yes, she and Percy had different mothers but they were still siblings all the same!
– Integra –
Integra leaned forward, wanting to know more about the demigods. Persephone took a deep breath and explained how the Greek gods often had many children—sometimes even more than a hundred. These children were trained at a special camp in Greece. They learned how to fight, went on dangerous missions for the gods, and sometimes even protected regular people.
Persephone mentioned how the camp was once in New York, but the gods were mysteriously forced out of America, and no one was allowed to ask why.
She did very much want to know why, and wondered if Alucard would know when she asked him later? If not, one of Valerie's devil contacts could also get that information she imagined. The Bael's owned Hellsing a fuckton of favors—in her opinion—after Valerie healed Sairarog's mother, and then that clusterfuck in hell—that Integra was just hearing about!
But she focused back on her current situation that was closer to home.
She didn't like hearing about a camp in Europe training children to fight. She thought about how similar the Vatican's methods were—training young people for battles.
Was her organization really the only one acting responsibly? That was surprising to her, especially considering all the trouble her own vampires often caused for her...
Integra studied the siblings carefully, her cold blue eyes watching their every movement. She leaned back slightly in her chair, fingers tapping lightly on the desk. "You failed the task your god sent you on," she said bluntly, keeping her voice steady and firm. "What do you plan to do now? Just return to Greece, as if nothing happened?"
She saw Percy squirm uncomfortably in his seat, glancing nervously at his older sister for guidance.
Persephone swallowed hard, her sea-green eyes troubled as she obviously tried to think.
Integra considered her own options silently. Technically, she had every right to hold them—they'd entered her country illegally, and attacking her assets definitely didn't help their situation. But detaining with super-powered beings was always more trouble than it was worth unless interrogation or torture was necessary.
"We... don't really know," Persephone finally admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. She glanced down, looking lost and confused. "Where would we even go? Zeus isn't going to be happy with us. And we can't just... go home like we failed."
Percy shifted nervously, his bright eyes wide and worried. "We never really thought about failing," he mumbled, staring at his hands. "Zeus gets really mad when things don't go his way."
"It seems to me you're trapped between your angry gods and uncertain safety here," she remarked, a faint note of sympathy slipping through her usually strict tone. "Perhaps you should reconsider whose orders you follow. The gods clearly aren't looking out for your best interests..."
Persephone met Integra's gaze steadily, determination flickering through her nervous expression. "Then... What should we do? Are you offering us protection?"
Integra paused thoughtfully, her eyes narrowed in consideration. "That entirely depends," she replied coolly. "Are you willing to rethink your loyalties and work with us instead of against us?"
Integra noticed Persephone quickly reach over, placing a firm hand on Percy's shoulder to stop him from speaking again.
Good, she thought to herself, relieved she wouldn't have to listen to the younger demigod ramble. Her interest lay clearly with the older sibling anyway. In truth, she was already calculating how convenient it would be to send Percy off to a reputable boarding school, removing him from the situation entirely. She had little patience for children and having a child in her manor that's already been violently attacked was a bad idea anyway.
Persephone sat straighter. "If we betray our gods and side with you," she asked carefully, "what exactly do we get in return?"
Integra's lips curled into a knowing smile, appreciating the girl's directness. "You'll gain the loyalty of professional soldiers who'll actually watch your back, a steady and generous income, and importantly," she leaned forward slightly, lowering her voice as if sharing an enticing secret, "you'll be spending quite a bit more time around a certain female blonde vampire...."
Integra's smile widened slightly, observing with satisfaction the deep blush that instantly colored Persephone's cheeks. Yes, she wasn't above using Valerie as a honeypot.
Sometimes the simplest strategies worked best.
– Valerie –
I stood behind the manor with my father Alucard, savoring some rare father-daughter bonding time after Persephone and her little brother had been escorted away to meet Sir Integra.
…May whatever gods they still respected have mercy on their souls once Integra got her claws into them.
I turned my attention back to the gleaming new revolver in my hand. Walter had presented it to me earlier this evening—a slightly larger silver gun. Unlike my previous weapon, this one lacked the magic-infused blood gems I'd grown accustomed to.
Not that it mattered. Ever since my Balance Breaker—the Bloodflame Chalice—had awakened fully within me, my entire body had become a conduit for magic. Although we weren't using magic right now. Just good ol' explosive tipped silver bullets and gunpowder. Although now that I think about it, the silver bullets were also enchanted to deal even more damage so we were using magic in a round-a-bout way.
Either way, I clicked the cylinder shut, feeling the satisfying weight and heft of it in my grip. It was another beast of a handcannon. "Walter really outdid himself with this one," I murmured appreciatively, sliding my thumb slowly across the cold metal surface.
"Indeed he did," Alucard agreed, stepping beside me smoothly and raising his own massive black handgun, casually aiming at the distant practice targets set up along the back field. "Are you ready, my dear?"
I gave him a playful grin, leveling my own revolver toward the distant wooden targets lined up several yards away. "You bet your undead ass I'm ready, Dad."
He laughed loudly. "Then let's begin!"
We both started firing in rapid succession, the deafening booms of our huge handcannons echoing violently across the grounds. With every squeeze of the trigger, each round exploded from our barrels, splinters and sawdust erupted in clouds, chunks of wood scattering wildly, shattering violently from the force of each hit.
The power surging through me felt intoxicating. I laughed wildly as I emptied round after round into the obliterated targets, completely losing myself in the raw, unapologetic violence of the moment.
"You're improving dramatically," Alucard remarked casually, voice brimming with pride as he smoothly reloaded, snapping the fresh clip into place with practiced ease.
I couldn't stop myself from smiling at his praise. "Thanks, Dad," I responded softly, my voice tinged with sincerity despite myself. "I had the best teacher a girl could ask for."
"Of course you did. Now we just need to get your brother out here soon enough."
I didn't really see that happening anytime soon. Gasper was sweet and gentle to a fault.
Yet, considering how enthusiastic he always got when playing those brutally violent games of his, maybe there was hope yet? He'd probably complain at first, whining about the loud bangs and recoil, but after he got the hang of it? I could easily picture him giggling maniacally alongside Dad, emptying round after round into targets with a wild grin on his face.
I chuckled softly to myself, shaking my head fondly at the mental image. "Maybe you're onto something..."
The sharp sound of excited footsteps interrupted me mid-laugh, and I turned quickly to see Persephone Jackson running towards us, her beautiful dark hair streaming behind her. Her sea-green eyes sparkled brightly as they locked onto mine.
"Guess what, Valerie?" she asked breathlessly, cheeks flushed from running.
"What?" I responded, genuinely curious as I holstered my revolver, giving her my full attention.
Persephone grinned wide, clearly delighted about something. "I've decided to join Hellsing! I'm staying here in Britain to work with you guys. And my brother gets to go to a proper school instead of risking his life on missions!"
"Wow, that's amazing," I said sincerely, stepping closer with a smile. Having a new comrade was great, especially one that was easy on the eyes. "Congratulations," I continued. "I'm really glad to have another strong and gorgeous comrade fighting by my side."
Her cheeks flushed deeper, eyes dropping briefly to the ground before meeting mine again shyly. "I'm really looking forward to it," she admitted softly. Her voice lowered to a whisper only I could hear, "Especially since you're here..."
I noticed Persephone's gaze lingering on my face, then drifting slowly down to my breasts, my hips, and finally my legs before quickly snapping back up. Her obvious attention made me grin mischievously.
"See something you like?" I teased lightly, raising an eyebrow playfully.
She blushed deeply, her cheeks flushing scarlet as she nervously nodded. "Y-yes," she mumbled, barely audible. After taking a deep breath, she gathered her courage, meeting my eyes directly despite the redness still coloring her face. "This might seem really sudden," she said slowly, her voice trembling slightly, "but would you maybe want to go out on a date with me later?" she practically squeaked those words out. Obviously, she had little if any experience.
"I should be free tonight," I replied smoothly. "But I'll have to check with my girlfriends first."
She froze completely, eyes widening in surprise and confusion.
I heard Alucard start laughing loudly behind me. "Hehe... This will be good..."
"Damn right it will," Ddraig added out of nowhere.
"Girlfriends? What do you mean girlfriends?" Persephone demanded sharply, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.
Oh did she not know that? I guess it never really came up in our conversation earlier...
I shrugged casually. "I have three girlfriends currently," I informed her matter-of-factly. "Seras, Rose, and Narcissa. You'll definitely see them around the mansion soon enough—"
My words were abruptly cut off as a cold blast of water slammed into my face, completely soaking my clothes and leaving me sputtering in shock!
Wiping water from my eyes, I watched as Persephone turned sharply on her heel and stormed away toward the manor, her hips swaying angrily as she marched off.
I turned to Alucard, still dripping wet, utterly baffled by Persephone's sudden anger. "What the hell did I do wrong?" I asked, genuinely confused. "I was honest with her!"
Alucard laughed deeply, clearly amused by my cluelessness. "My dear Valerie," he said, still chuckling, "most human girls aren't exactly thrilled to hear they might have to share someone they like. The supernatural world's acceptance of harems doesn't usually translate well to humans—especially ones who've never even considered the idea."
I sighed heavily, pushing wet hair out of my eyes, my shoulders slumping. "Oh. Well, shit."
At some point, I guess I had just completely stopped thinking about myself as human. My past lives' memories, experiences and sensibilities were growing more and more distant every day I lived in this new life I loved...
I glanced anxiously back towards the manor, debating whether or not I should chase after Persephone. Was it completely weird that I was turning to Alucard, of all people, for relationship advice?
I really wished Selene were here, my adopted mother's wisdom was exactly what I needed right now!
"Do you think I should go after her?" I asked quietly, nervously twisting a strand of wet hair around my finger.
Alucard chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Give her some time, Valerie. She's half Greek, remember? Those people practically invented orgies and drama. Once she cools down, she'll come back to you...on her knees even."
I rolled my eyes at his bluntness, but he probably had a point? I think...?
I picked up my revolver again. "Fine. But if she doesn't, I'm blaming you."
"Fair enough," Alucard agreed cheerfully, smoothly aiming his gun towards the targets again. "Now, let's shoot something. It'll make you feel better."
XXX