Chapter 56:
– Valerie –
I wrapped my arms tightly around Selene's waist as we sped through the winding streets on the back of her motorcycle. The wind whipped through my hair, and the deep purr of the engine vibrated between my thighs. London blurred around us.
Selene glanced back at me with a grin, her voice was easy to hear even over the wind. "So," she called out, "did little Rose tire you out last night?"
I laughed, pressing my cheek against her leather-clad back.
I hesitated for a moment, then asked if this was even something I should be talking to her about. Selene just laughed, her voice warm and wry. "Who else, darling? I'm your adoptive mother now, remember? That means you get to burden me with all your scandalous confessions."
The way she said it—half teasing, half tender—made my chest tighten in the best way. I felt a silly smile creep onto my face as I wrapped my arms tighter around her leather-clad waist.
I told her that my night with Rose had been intense—thrilling, erotic, everything you'd hope for. But even as I said it, a thread of doubt twisted through me. "It was her first time," I admitted, my voice quieter now, barely audible above the hum of the engine. "I think I might've gone too far."
Selene tilted her head just enough for me to catch her raised brow. "Too far how?"
I exhaled, brushing my fingers over her ribs in a restless rhythm. "You know how I get... being a dhampir doesn't exactly make me vanilla in bed. It can get a little intense."
Selene chuckled low. "A little? You don't have to lie to me Valerie, I'm a vampire as well, and have been around hundreds of years. I know all about spicing it up."
At that, I cringed so hard I nearly lost my grip. The image of Selene entangled with my father was one I'd rather banish to the farthest corner of my mind, lock it in a box, and bury it six feet under with a stake through it.
"Anyway," I said quickly, latching onto a change of subject like a lifeline, "I still think I might've gone a bit too far with Rose last night. She could barely walk this morning."
Selene let out a rich, indulgent chuckle that rolled through her chest and into my arms. "Darling, if she's not filing complaints with HR, I'm sure she's just fine."
I gave a weak laugh. "Pretty sure Hellsing's HR department is just Integra telling everyone to suck it up and do their jobs without complaining..."
She reached back briefly and patted my hand. "You worry too much. Your girlfriends adore you, Valerie. Every one of them. If anything, they're probably fighting over who gets to limp out of your bed next right now."
We finally reached our destination—a crumbling, long-forgotten warehouse nestled at the edge of London, shrouded in shadows and safely tucked away from prying eyes and city surveillance.
I swung off the bike, my boots crunching over gravel and scattered shards of glass that glittered like ice in the moonlight. Stretching the stiffness from my back, I fumbled through my jacket, fingers brushing over familiar forms until I felt the cool grip of my revolver. It nestled there, snug and patient, beside a cache of bullets—each one lovingly soaked in the holy water I'd drawn from my own Grail.
After all, we weren't packing for a picnic. We were heading straight into the devil's den, hell itself.
With a practiced flick of my wrist, I drew my revolver and aimed it squarely at Selene's motorcycle. Muttering the incantation under my breath, I cast the shrinking charm. A soft shimmer rippled through the air, and in the blink of an eye, the machine crumpled neatly into a miniature replica no larger than a toy car. It landed on the ground with a quiet clink.
"Brilliant," Selene said, scooping it up and slipping it into the pocket of her coat as if it were nothing more than spare change. "That spell's an absolute lifesaver."
Selene paused, her hand still resting in her coat pocket, and let out a sigh that was equal parts exasperation and nostalgia. "You wouldn't believe how many bikes I've had stolen over the years," she muttered, scanning the dim alley like it might still be harboring one of the culprits. "Always when I park in those sketchy parts of town—damn lycans always have to set up shop in the grimiest corners..."
I snorted, unable to help myself. "So, what do you do to the poor souls who try to ride off on your wheels?"
Selene turned her head just enough to give me a look over her shoulder. Her lips curled into a wide, gleaming grin—fangs and all, a picture of predatory delight. "Go on, Valerie," she purred. "Take a wild guess."
Let it not be forgotten that she was a vampire. Meaning she ate them…
The warehouse doors creaked open with a groan loud enough to echo through the streets. From the inside emerged Sairaorg Bael, broad-shouldered and confident as ever, with his ever-striking queen, Kuisha, at his side.
I couldn't help but notice, as I always did, that they wore the exact same outfits they always wore. Didn't they ever get bored? Not that I was one to talk. I always wore my favorite red jacket too—but at least I changed my shirt and pants.
Still, I kept my snide thoughts to myself. No need to antagonize our business partners.
Sairaorg's face lit up with a broad, genuine grin as he stepped forward. "Valerie! It's good to see you again," he said, voice booming. But just as quickly, his expression softened. His smile faltered. "And… I heard about that thing with Rias and your brother. I'm truly sorry. That shouldn't have happened. I want you to know that, as her cousin, I was disappointed in how she treated her peerage member. Especially such a cool little guy like Gasper! A time stopping vampire, that's a man's romance right there!"
I tilted my head, blinking at him in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"
Sairaorg's shoulders slumped, as if I'd just kicked a puppy. "You've never seen JoJo's Bizarre Adventure?" he asked, voice tinged with disbelief and a flicker of heartbreak. "Gasper's time-stop powers are peak JoJo. Absolute gold!"
I blinked again, utterly lost. "Is that... an anime?"
He looked positively crestfallen. "This travesty cannot stand!"
Kuisha delivered a sharp smack to Sairaorg's chest—so sharp, in fact, that the mountain of muscle actually staggered back a step. There was no way she'd managed that without a touch of enhancement magic, not with the sheer size difference between them.
"Stop acting like a child," she snapped, her voice crisp and commanding. "We don't have time for this. The concealment wards on the teleportation circles inside won't hold forever. We're smuggling two vampires into the Underworld, remember?" Her sharp eyes flicked to Selene and me with pointed emphasis.
Sairaorg straightened like nothing had happened at all, brushing imaginary dust from his coat. "Thanks again for doing this, Valerie!" he said, flashing me a grin so bright it could've lit the whole warehouse.
Sairaorg and Kuisha led us into the warehouse. And for the record—no, I was not staring at Kuisha's perfectly sculpted backside as we followed them in. That playful swat from Selene? Completely uncalled for.
In the center of the floor sprawled a large devil teleportation circle, the runes painted in a blend of crimson and black.
Kuisha turned, brushing a few strands of hair from her face. "It's a bit of a rush job," she said, with a casual shrug, "but it should get you to the Underworld just fine."
"And if it doesn't?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She smirked. "Then you'll probably be fine anyway. Vampires don't need to breathe, and there's no air in the dimensional gap. So, really, you'd just be... floating. Forever. In a void." She said it far too cheerfully for my liking.
I stared at Kuisha, trying to gauge whether she was joking. The dimensional gap wasn't exactly that easy to stumble into. Right? Alucard had mentioned that was the type of place even he didn't fuck with casually.
But before I could ask for clarification, Selene's fingers laced through mine and tugged me. "Stop overthinking, daughter," she said breezily, pulling me into the glowing center of the teleportation circle. "If we run into trouble in Hell, we'll just shoot our way out."
Fair enough...
Sairaorg gave a gruff nod, his jaw tight. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. You're under the protection of the House of Bael for as long as you're in the Underworld. That still carries weight, even now."
I nearly snorted but bit it back. No offense, but that so-called protection didn't mean what he thought it did—especially since most of his noble family had all but turned their backs on him for lacking their precious, overpowered bloodline. Still, I kept my mouth shut. He was doing what he could, and in a place like the Underworld, good intentions weren't nothing.
Kuisha began to chant in a language I didn't recognize—one that felt heavy, old, and full of power. Her voice echoed off the concrete walls, low and steady. The teleportation circle beneath our feet flared to life, its runes glowing with a fierce light that steadily grew more intense.
A few seconds later, I felt it—an invisible force tugging at me from below, like the ground had vanished and gravity had been replaced by something stranger and far less forgiving. The sensation was disorienting, a twisting pull that made my stomach lurch. It was nothing like shadow travel, which was cold, fluid, and dark.
We found ourselves in an ornate room, but the air we breathed in smelled different. Kind of like sulfur. I wasn't a fan and judging by Selene's wrinkled nose, neither was she. I guess this is what underworld air smelled like…
Kuisha let out a quiet sigh of relief. "Welcome to the Underworld," she said. "We're all still alive so that means it worked..."
Selene looked around, her voice polite but curious. "Where exactly are we down here? In the Underworld I mean."
Sairaorg stepped forward and folded his arms. "We're at the far edge of Bael territory. This is where I live with my peerage and my mother. It's not much—nothing like the grand Bael palace—but I prefer it."
Sairaorg asked if I wanted to see his mother right away or if I needed time to prepare—whether that meant getting myself together or checking over my sacred gear.
I gave him a shrug. "No time like the present."
The sooner we got this over with, the sooner I could get paid. Then I could turn my attention to the other thing Alucard had mentioned before I left: drinking the blood of a direct descendant from one of the original devil pillars. Easy to say. Probably impossible to do.
Sairaorg led Selene and me through a series of long, ornate hallways. Despite his earlier comment about the place not being much, I couldn't help but suspect it was still larger than the entire Hellsing mansion. Devils, it seemed, had no real grasp on what counted as modest by human standards.
I figured it had something to do with how vast the Underworld was. With only a few million devils still alive after all the wars, there was more than enough land to go around. But instead of being evenly shared, most of it had been claimed by the noble families—the devil pillars.
The one percent problem wasn't just a human issue, apparently...
We finally arrived at a door etched with glowing wards, the protective runes pulsing softly against the dark wood. Kuisha stepped forward and began to quietly dispel them, her hands moving with practiced precision.
Inside, the room was warm and softly lit. Resting peacefully on the bed was a strikingly beautiful woman with delicate features and long dark hair that fanned out over the silk pillows—Sairaorg's mother, no doubt. She was a total Milf as well.
Selene stepped in behind me, paused for a moment, then leaned in toward the sleeping woman and took a slow, deliberate sniff.
Kuisha let out an alarmed sputter. "What are you doing?!" she hissed.
Selene continued sniffing at Sairaorg's mother without a hint of embarrassment. It wasn't until I gave her a look—and actually blushed—that she finally responded.
"I've been around a long time," she said, her voice calm and matter-of-fact. "I can recognize most diseases, whether they're mundane or supernatural. When a body's fighting something off, it gives off a certain scent. Subtle. You'd need a trained vampire nose to catch it." She turned back toward the bed. "I'm not picking up anything like that from Misha. Whatever's keeping her like this—it's not an illness. At least, not a natural one."
Sairaorg grimaced, his expression tense. "Even Ajuka Beelzebub suspected this might be some kind of poison at one point," he said quietly. "But even he couldn't find a cure."
"That you know of," Selene said with a casual shrug, rising from her crouch beside the bed. She turned to me. "Either way—poison or disease—it shouldn't be anything you can't handle, right?"
I planted my hands on my hips and puffed out my perky chest. "Of course not. If I can't wake up your MILF mother, Sairaorg, then no one can!"
He gave me a grateful smile—until it suddenly froze on his face. "Wait. What did you just call my mom?"
"Nothing," I replied quickly, my voice high and innocent.
I stepped quickly over to the bedside, the heels of my boots soft against the polished floor. "What's her name?" I asked, glancing over at Sairaorg.
His eyes lingered on his mother for a long second before he answered, his voice low and thick with emotion. "Misha. I haven't spoken to her since I was a kid."
Kuisha moved beside him and gave his arm a gentle, one-armed hug. The moment felt heavy, personal. Then, as if sensing what came next, they both stepped back.
I placed a hand over my chest. A soft glow sparked beneath my palm, then burst outward into a flash of golden light. The Healing Grail materialized in my hand—its surface a polished gold, encrusted with gleaming red gems. Blood—my own—began to fill the chalice, shimmering as it rose to the top of the cup.
I caught Sairaorg and Kuisha instinctively stepping back another pace, their eyes flickering with unease. Not that I blamed them. The Grail pulsed with raw holy energy, the kind that could singe devils if I turned its power on them. Although the Blessed Grail's holy water was obviously far more dangerous.
I carefully lowered the chalice to Misha's lips, steadying it with one hand while my fingers lightly brushed against her mouth. Her lips were cool and very soft. I tilted the cup slowly, letting a thin stream of my blood pass her lips.
Yeah... watching a gorgeous woman drink my blood always did something to me.
Call it a vampire kink. Whatever.
Despite being unconscious, her throat moved—gentle, instinctive swallows as the blood made its way down. A few drops escaped the corner of her mouth, slipping down her chin. Then, to my surprise, her tongue flicked out and licked it up.
Sairaorg and Kuisha both yelped, clearly not expecting that.
"Very interesting," Selene murmured beside me, watching with narrowed eyes as Misha's fingers twitched and her body began to stir.
Then her eyes opened. Purple, just like her son.
She blinked slowly, the light catching in her gaze, not dull or dazed but clear and aware. Whatever curse or poison had locked her in that unnatural sleep, it was broken now. My blood hadn't just cured her—it had repaired her. Muscles that should've wasted away over years of stillness now held strength and tone. Her skin looked flushed with life, her breathing steady.
Her eyes drifted across the room, landing on each of us in turn with quiet confusion. She tilted her head. "Who are you all, and why are you in my room?"
Honestly, fair question. Anyone in her position would be very confused.
Sairaorg stepped forward, voice thick with emotion. He looked like he was trying not to fall apart. "Mom... it's me. Sairaorg. Your son. You've been asleep for a long time."
Misha blinked again, narrowing her eyes at Sairaorg like she was trying to solve a riddle that didn't make sense. "That's impossible," she said slowly. "My son is just a little boy... not a grown man. And certainly not one this—" her gaze drifted over him appraisingly, "—handsome."
Was she... flirting with him? I shot Selene a wide-eyed glance, who looked just as amused as I felt.
Freaking devils. Horny even after years of a coma.
Sairaorg, bless him, looked like he wanted the floor to open up and swallow him whole. His face went redder than a vampire caught sunbathing.
Kuisha, to her credit, stepped in with perfect timing. She gave us a subtle but clear gesture, nodding toward the door. "Let's give them a moment," she whispered, already turning to lead Selene and me out of the room.
We definitely didn't argue...
Kuisha gave me a warm smile, her fingers absently fidgeting with the hem of her tight purple top. She looked relieved—tired, too—but grateful in a way that was deeply sincere.
"This is a debt we can probably never fully repay," she said softly. "But we'll try. Whatever you need—artifacts of magical power, rare spell tomes, money… even if we don't have it right now, we'll find a way to get it to you. Over time, if we have to."
I gave her a lopsided smile. "We'll sort out a proper payment later. But I'm not gonna start squeezing you guys for every coin right now. That's not who I am."
Selene let out a dry chuckle behind me. "You sure? Because now would be the perfect time to be a shameless money-grubber. You've got all the leverage."
Kuisha and I turned toward her with matching pouts.
Selene just laughed again. "What? You get more ruthless about business with age. Give it a century or two."
Kuisha led us back through the winding halls toward the teleportation room where we had first arrived. As we walked, she explained that her king—Sairaorg—and his mother had a lot to talk about. Most likely, they'd be catching up for the rest of the night. "You two would probably just end up sitting around awkwardly waiting until morning," she said with a knowing smile. "So feel free to use the circle and go enjoy yourselves in Lilith—the capital city of the Underworld. Plenty of shops, restaurants, entertainment. Take the night off."
She reached into her coat and handed me something unexpected: a sleek black credit card, adorned with glowing infernal script.
I blinked. "Wait… you guys have credit cards in Hell?"
Kuisha gave a short laugh. "Of course we do. It's not the stone age."
I shifted on my feet, glancing at Selene. "Is that even safe? I mean… we're vampires. Wouldn't we stand out?"
Selene raised the same concern with a skeptical look, but Kuisha waved us off with a relaxed shrug. "You'll both be fine. Lilith is the trade capital of the Underworld—creatures from all kinds of races pass through daily. As long as you don't start any fights or incidents."
Selene gave me a sly, sidelong glance. "We'll do our best not to draw too much attention," she said smoothly. "Though, let's be honest—Valerie is the daughter of Dracula, so..."
She let the sentence hang with a teasing smile, and Kuisha suddenly looked a little less relaxed.
"Actually," Kuisha said, her tone shifting into something more thoughtful, "maybe I should come with you. Just in case. A little extra protection wouldn't hurt." She straightened her shoulders, a proud glint in her eye. "Sairaorg might be considered an outcast by the noble families, but he's still an Ultimate-Class devil—and no one dares mess with him or his peerage. Not unless they're suicidal."
"A girls' night in Hell? Sounds like my kind of fun," I declared.
—
Selene stood in front of the full-length mirror, striking a pose with one hand on her hip. She was wearing a pair of black dragon leather jeans that molded to her legs like they'd been made for her, and a matching basilisk leather jacket that shimmered subtly under the boutique's enchanted lighting. The outfit was sleek, dangerous-looking, and unapologetically sexy.
She turned slightly, inspecting herself from another angle. "What do you think? Should I get it?"
Kuisha and I answered in perfect sync. ""You look amazing.""
The shopkeeper—an impish-looking demon with a tape measure draped around his neck—nodded fervently. "Flawless. Truly, you wear it better than the mannequin." Of course, he might've just been trying to seal the sale. The price tag on this thing could probably fund his shop for months.
Kuisha, however, didn't even blink at the number. She told me I should get whatever I wanted as well.
I was eyeing a pair of enchanted dragon leather boots on a nearby shelf. Not only did they look sexy and badass but they were apparently self cleaning and even self repairing, drawing on the wearers own latent magic. How often would I find a purchase like this back on Earth...
…
I couldn't stop grinning in my new boots as the three of us walked confidently down the bustling streets of Lilith. The city felt surprisingly modern—sleek storefronts, glowing magical signage, and paved walkways lined with enchanted streetlamps. If not for the occasional horned devil, winged demon, or other oddity casually strolling by, I could've easily mistaken it for a district in London or New York.
My eyes lit up as I spotted a stand just up ahead, the stall glowing red and silver with elegant script that read: Bloody Delights – Blood Ice Cream Crafted for the undead! …We also sell normal ice cream too…
I gasped and immediately tugged on Selene's sleeve like an excited child. "They have blood ice cream! I have to try that. Right now!"
Selene was trying and failing to stay composed as I could see she really wanted to try it as well.
Kuisha chuckled and folded her arms. "Told you—Lilith was built to cater to every kind of supernatural creature."
…
The vendor grinned at us as he called out each order. "One blood ice cream cone for the beautiful vampire lady," he said, handing me my treat. "Double scoop of O-negative for the tall one—there you go, madam. Mint chocolate chip for the sharp-dressed deviless... and a triple scoop of Double Devil Chocolate Chunk for the pretty redhead!"
"Thank you!" chirped a voice that none of us recognized.
A short, stunningly pretty girl with fiery red hair and a bust that seemed far too large for her petite frame giggled and accepted the ice cream like it was hers all along. Without missing a beat, she dug in with a blissful hum, already halfway into her first scoop.
Selene, Kuisha, and I exchanged a series of puzzled glances. I opened my mouth to ask who she was, but before a single word left any of us, she was already strolling down the street with her dessert, completely unbothered.
"I think she just used us for free ice cream..." Selene trailed off and then chuckled.
Kuisha's eye twitched. "Excuse me?!" she huffed, pulling a small pouch from her coat and tossing a few enchanted coins to the vendor. "She wasn't even with us! That's just bad manners!"
I chuckled, licking at my own ice cream. Wow! "Come on, it was kind of hilarious. Girl's got guts for pulling that level of mooching off..."
"She's got a free triple scoop, that's what she's got!" Kuisha said, already stomping off after the redhead to confront her.
Selene and I exchanged amused shrugs and followed after them, both enjoying the smooth, rich chill of our blood ice creams. "Damn," I muttered between licks. "This stuff is amazing."
Selene and I caught up to them about a minute later, strolling leisurely down the vibrant street. The petite redhead was perched casually on a park bench, finishing off her ice cream with evident delight, completely unbothered by Kuisha standing over her, passionately lecturing about the moral failures of stealing.
"Do you even understand how rude and inconsiderate it is to use someone to pay for your food like that?" Kuisha continued, her tone increasingly exasperated. "Honestly, didn't anyone ever teach you basic manners!?"
"Eh, not really. My dad was kind of a dick..." Judging by the impish grin spreading across the redhead's face, she clearly wasn't absorbing a single word of Kuisha's nagging. The girl's gaze flicked away from Kuisha and landed directly on me, her emerald eyes lighting up mischievously. "Hi! You look a lot more entertaining than your stuffy friend here," she announced cheerfully.
Kuisha spluttered in shocked outrage, her eyes widening dramatically. "Excuse me?!"
The girl waved a dismissive hand without breaking eye contact with me. "Oh, don't mind her. I'm Runeas," she introduced herself brightly. Her voice was playful, edged with an intriguing allure. "I rarely get to sneak out from home, you know? Or maybe it's just because I take too many naps!? …So tonight, I'm looking for some real fun!" Her eyes sparkled with promise as she glanced invitingly between Selene and me. "Care to join? It will be fun!"
Selene chuckled softly beside me, clearly amused by Runeas's audacity.
"I'd love for you to join us," I said, grinning at Runeas, "but first, you've got to apologize properly to Kuisha."
Runeas rolled her eyes dramatically before turning toward Kuisha. "Fine," she sighed, clearly not thrilled. "I'm sorry I made you pay for my ice cream and caused such a fuss. There, better?"
Kuisha huffed, crossing her arms, but I noticed a small, begrudging smile at the corner of her mouth. Runeas spun back to face Selene and me. "Now," Runeas said brightly, bouncing on the balls of her feet, "what kind of trouble are we getting into first?"? she asked, her pink eyes practically sparkling…
– Alucard –
While his daughter and his lover Selene enjoyed their escapades in Hell, Alucard set out on a spirited stroll through London's nocturnal streets, relishing the cool night air and the familiar thrum of potential chaos. Trouble had a peculiar fondness for finding him, a fact he embraced.
He chuckled to himself, sensing he was already being shadowed—what delightful entertainment awaited tonight?
He turned sharply into a dimly-lit alley, his coat billowing dramatically behind him as he leaned casually against a rough brick wall, anticipation lighting up his crimson eyes behind his sunglasses.
His grin widened, savoring the promise of impending violence.
However, his smile vanished abruptly as a young boy, barely twelve or thirteen, stumbled around the corner. Clutching a tarnished bronze sword, the boy awkwardly pointed the blade toward him with a trembling but determined grip.
"You there! Red Dragon Emperor!" the boy declared boldly, voice cracking halfway through. "You'll be coming with me!
"...What?" Alucard asked in confusion.
"My big sister is going to be so proud when she hears I captured you first!" the kid continued, ignoring Alucard's question altogether.
Alucard sighed deeply. "Oh, for fuck's sake—really?" he drawled dryly.
He regarded the child with an exasperated glance, reminding himself firmly that he didn't kill children... at least, not for the last century or so. Age had, unfortunately, mellowed him.
The boy let out an earnest battle cry, charging forward with all the bravery his small frame could muster.
Alucard didn't bother dodging, slightly surprised when the bronze blade plunged straight through his abdomen, emerging from his back with a metallic hiss. Though the blade felt like some kind of divine craftsmanship, it might as well have been a child's toy for all the harm it caused him.
Up close, Alucard could distinctly catch the unmistakable scent—this kid was no ordinary mortal, he was a half-godling.
Interesting...
The boy stared, his eyes bulging in shock, his entire body trembling. His voice came out in a panicked whisper. "W-why didn't you dodge? I... I wasn't trying to kill anyone!"
Alucard laughed with dark amusement, as shadows began to writhe and swirl ominously around his form. "Oh, child," he said with a sinister grin, his crimson eyes glowing brighter behind his sunglasses. "I wouldn't exactly consider myself a person."
The boy gasped, his sword falling limp in his grip. "What are you?!"
"A monster," Alucard replied, his voice velvety with menace. Before the boy could retreat or cry out, Alucard swiftly brought his hand down in a decisive, painless strike, knocking him out cold.
Alucard's left arm transformed fluidly into the form of the Boosted Gear, its crimson and green scales gleaming under the dim alley lighting. From within, the deep, rumbling voice of the dragon spoke with mild curiosity, "Why even bother capturing the child, Alucard? He hardly seems worth your time."
That was true, except for one thing. "Ah, but this child is no ordinary mortal—he's half-god. Eventually, his divine parent will come seeking his return. And when they do, an exhilarating fight is sure to follow." He chuckled darkly, already savoring the thought of an impending confrontation. "Besides, when this little hero wakes up, I'm eager to hear precisely which deity had the nerve to send a child after me. Such audacity must not go unaddressed..."
"The boy also mentioned something about a big sister too…"
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