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A/N: Well, in light of the upcoming release of Kingdom Hearts 355/2 Days, my muse has decided to get off of her lazy butt and kick mine into writing action! HOORAY!!! Also thank Neko-chan for bugging me about it. The next chapter should be well on its way very soon. Thank you all for your patience! If... I even have any readers left... XDDD This was somewhat hurried because I wanted to get this out of the way, but future chapters will be better.

Chapter 13: Partners in Crime

“DAD?!” Mia and Seras repeated in unison, both shocked.

“Yes,” said Alucard with a heavy sigh and put his glasses back on. “These are two of my fledglings from before the Hellsing Organization, Nicole and Helen.”

The long haired girl behind him cleared her throat unobtrusively. “We go by Halo and Neko now,” she said.

“OH-EM-EFFIN'-GEEZ!!” Neko squealed, going from dangerous vampire to... anime-loving... teenager? She hurtled across the floor in a flash invisible to Mia, then reappeared, strangle-hugging Alucard. “Daddy! It's so good to see you! How long's it been, a hundred years?”

Alucard's lip twitched in a snarl. “Give or take a decade or five. Let me go, God damn it, you're throttling me.”

“You don't need to breathe, though...”

“JUST LET ME GO!”

“Okay,” she responded sheepishly, letting go of Alucard's neck and dropping back to the ground.

“MASTER,” Seras shouted, pointing at the other two vampiresses, “run that by me again, please. They're... your... what?!!”

The cheery one jumped a mile. “Master?! Dad, the Hellsing vampire is yours?!”

Alucard looked like he'd been caught in every man's nightmare—the 'missus' had just met the 'ex'. “Yes. She is my fledgeling as well.”

“So that makes us sisters!” the short-haired vampire chimed. “Well, I'm Neko. That's Halo back there being all antisocial. She's like that.”

Mia watched, taking the distraction of the others to heal her neck. What... was going on here...? Fledgeling? Sisters? Dad? ...Huh?

“I turned them back in the seventeen-hundreds,” Alucard explained patiently. “I was under the impression that you had died with the others.”

Neko shook her head. “Same here! Or, except with you. But we're both alive and well, obviously. Or, you know what I mean.”

“Neko,” said Halo suddenly. Her voice was an ethereal whisper. “I wouldn't get too close if I were you.”

Everyone turned to look at her. Neko made a quizzical sound.
Halo gently brushed her hair over her shoulder. “I can see his thoughts. This evening walker isn't the Hellsing Vampire... he is.”

Dead silence. Mia slowly inched to her feet on a sudden, wild impulse that seemed to come from nowhere. She had to get away, screw all this.

Neko looked back at Alucard as if he had shot her. His expression was unreadable because of the glare on his glasses.

“...You...?” Neko whispered, truly hurt.

Slowly, Alucard's face twisted into a smile. “Very good, Helen. Your powers haven't weakened at all since we last met. To think that my own fledgeling could break through my defenses—I applaud you.” He threw his head back in a gesture of shamelessness and pride. “Yes! I am the dog of the Hellsings! I wish to God I was not, but the fact remains and cannot be adjusted to suit me. And so I will carry out my duty and my orders—even if it means destroying my own daughters.”

Neko lowered her eyes. “But why...? Why not just defy them...? You had enough free will to make her.” She made a lame gesture towards Seras, who was looking at her master with a sort of grudging admiration. “Why not just say no?”

Alucard closed his eyes. “You could never hope to understand.”

Fire sprang into Neko's eyes. She took a fighting stance. “You son of a b***h! You think you can patronize me?! I'm not a kid anymore, 'Dad'! I know my own strength now! I can feel the worms in the Earth!”

“That's a plus,” Seras sneered.

Neko fixed the blonde vampire with a look that clearly stated how dearly the former would love to kill the latter. Mia took a few sneaking steps away.

She smacked right into Neko. When the hell had she moved?

Mia screamed, made to run again, but Neko reached out and simply grabbed the back of her hair, holding her fast. Alucard stood by, watching passively. Halo looked a tad surprised at her sister's sudden ferocity. Seras jerked forward a little with a small cry, but did not go forward. She knew as well as Mia did that if anyone got too close, Neko would probably do something she would not regret later on.

With a firm and ungentle hand, Neko steered Mia practically into Alucard's chest. “Make her!” Neko shrieked. “You don't want to be Integra's lap dog? Prove it! She's a virgin! Make her like you did Seras! MAKE HER LIKE YOU DID ME!!”

Mia looked up, trembling. She wished she could do something, but she had no chance of twisting from the grip of an angry vampire.

Alucard's eyes met hers. The same strange calm settled over her, a strange floating feeling, despite the fact she knew for a fact that he was sorely, sorely tempted. His hypnotic eyes were working their magic, as if he needed them. As if she could run away. As if she could wrestle him off if he did decide to eat her. As if she stood a chance.

But she was frozen. Transfixed by his ruby—no, blood red eyes.

He closed his eyes. Broke the spell. “Foolish girl,” he sighed, turning away. “I could not turn this girl if I wanted to. Do you not sense it? The light within her? I imagine you do, Helen. I believe that light would consume even me like an evening walker if I were to attempt to claim her for the darkness.”

There was a brief moment of silence. Neko roared and threw Mia to the ground. Seras bolted forward and knelt beside Mia, checking her quickly for injuries. There were none, however. Mia was fine.

“You liar!” Neko screamed. She sounded angry, desperate for any explanation as to why her father had betrayed her. “She—she just reminds you of Mina! That's why—!!”

Alucard lost his cool without warning. He turned to face her and roared something like a lion, the sound segueing into human speech with the same tonal quality. “NEVER mention that painted whore's name in front of me!!”

Neko's mouth snapped shut. Halo jumped a mile and murmured 'Father' calmingly. Seras looked startled, grabbing Mia as if to protect her from the sudden unexplained outburst of unadulterated rage from normally so calm a man.

“Mina has nothing to do with this—nor have I anything to do with her any longer!!” Alucard growled. “Is a rise what you wanted, Nicole?! Is a fight with me what you truly desire?! Mention that—that—filthy wench again and a fight is what you shall have! And mark my words—I shall destroy you if it comes to that!”

He apparently couldn't find words bad enough to describe how he really felt. Mia was reminded of an ancient king—stripped of title and power, but still possessing the pride and fighting prowess of a warlord. Neko didn't cower or quail, despite the viciousness of Alucard's outburst. She stood there, prideful and powerful of her own way.

A sneer grew on her face. “There's my father,” she hissed.

Halo stepped forward. “Enough, Neko! This is his choice. His mind can't be changed. Leave him be.”

Neko flinched. Turned away and crossed her arms.

Alucard extended his gloved hand to Mia. Mia took it and he gently pulled her to her feet. Seras rose as well. “News?” Alucard murmured.

“They're... they're dead...” Mia whispered. “I don't know if they really are the key bearers or not... but...”

Alucard nodded and looked at his daughters. “We are leaving. Make sure that you are not still here when the troops storm the place. Otherwise I cannot be held responsible for what happens to you.”

Seras nodded and went to retrieve her rocket launcher. Mia ducked a little to pass below the low-hanging crate.

Neko wasn't done yet. “DON'T YOU WALK AWAY FROM ME!!” she cried. In a flash, she was behind Alucard. She drew back her fist and threw a punch that would have crushed a human's spine.

It connected with the back of Alucard's neck.

He didn't flinch.

Slowly, he turned to face Neko again. Halo gasped as if her sister had just struck Jesus Christ Himself. He looked as if he might tear her head off. Fear slowly drained into Neko's face. She realized her mistake a bit too late.

Alucard extended his hand. Neko shut her eyes with a whimper.

He flicked her nose.

She squeaked in surprise--not pain--and drew back in alarm. Alucard shook his head. “Goodbye, my Draculina,” he said quietly. “The next time we meet, I will either be your mortal enemy… or we shall both be in hell. I wish… there was another way.” He turned away and ducked under the crate to usher Mia away, leaving Neko and Halo to stand and stare after him.