Author's Note: Juju here, again! This time it's a collab with AvengingNeko, who wrote over half of this due to my mushy brain-parts. I promise to do better next time!

Seras Victoria rolled out of bed with a great jaw-cracking yawn, catching herself at the last minute from tumbling face first into her chair by grasping the shadow hand that encircled her wrist, allowing the guiding force to drop her neatly into the seat right way around. A blood pack floated in midair to her face and she snatched it with her right hand, sinking elongated fangs into the filmy skin with a groan. Ahh… Morning blood running through her system like a shot of caffeine, the blonde's red eyes sparkled as she smiled up at the form of her familiar; Captain Pip Bernadotte tipped his hat at her before pointing up at the ceiling and smirking as he faded back into the swirling mist attached to her left shoulder. Seras snorted a fond smile on her lips as she grabbed the second bag and shook her arm until the shadows resembled a more humanoid shape, hiding the unnatural skin color with long sleeves and a glove with the added cloaking of hiding her shadow hand in her coat pocket. Seras Victoria the Vampire spared a final glance in the mirror, winking back at the smirking visage within before skipping up the stairs to an impatient Integra's office.

She was going on a solo mission today! So exciting! Hardly able to contain herself, the Draculina hurried just that little bit faster to reach the enormous study just as the last of the sun's rays left the large windows.

"Officer Victoria. You're late."

"Am I, Sir?" Seras queried politely, knowing she was no such thing, "I apologize; I'll do better next time." Mirth lit her bloody gaze, and the secretive little smile on her lips made her appear the splitting image of her missing Sire: not that anyone would tell her such a thing, of course.

The elder blonde shook her head, large wire framed glasses hiding her expressive eyes as she sorted through the paperwork scattered across her desk, "Hmph."

A companionable silence filled the room between the two women as Sir Hellsing shuffled the necessary documents to one side. Finally, she spoke, not yet looking up at her vampire. "Rumors have spread from India about potential vampire threat, and to make matters worse, still more rumors have reached Her Majesty's ears about Nazis." The females shared identical grimaces of incredulous disgust, "Your mission, Agent Victoria, is to search and destroy. Let none of those cowardly FREAKS escape the country alive."

Seras saluted sharply, face set in determined lines, "Sir, yes Sir."

Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing pushed the pertaining documents over to her little vampire companion and leaned back in her chair, looking unexpectantly weary. "Seras…"

"Sir?"

"Be careful. I have… a bad feeling about this." Gloved fingers reached out for the cigar case sitting on the side of her desk, deft fingers preparing and lighting the rather masculine scented cancer stick, the smoke wreathing her blonde head like a halo. "I should have known the London War would not be the last we'd see of those Nazi monsters. Cowards, retreating from the face of battle to foreign shores."

Seras moved around the desk to kneel at Integra's chair, placing a gentle hand over the one on the elder female's lap, that fond smile directed at Captain Bernadotte returning. "Sir," she hummed, "Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing, Master of my Master, I will return to you. I promise."

Integra stared hard into the face of her vampire before nodding and pulling away, standing with her back to the Draculina to face the rising moon outside the window. "You had better. Now go, your plane departs in an hour."

Just as Seras stood to retrieve her papers, Integra spoke again, "And Seras? I expect daily reports back. No matter what."

"Of course, my Master."

No matter how long she lived, Seras knew that she'd always enjoy plane rides. There was something amazing about flying above the clouds, her gaze on the stars that seemed to be just out of reach. It always amazed her that only a few years ago, she'd never have been able to even bother flying across the ocean without being nauseous, and couldn't even stand an ounce of daylight filtering through the screen. It was a testament to her massive growth as a vampire, and although she was proud of herself for being able to handle plane rides, she still enjoyed taking the dark overnight flights best.

Of course, the best thing about red-eye flights was that they were almost always empty and no one bothered to wonder why she was staring out at the dark porthole as if she could see what was outside. On this one, there were only three other people besides herself and the flight attendant. Two women were chattering aimlessly at the front of the plane, one with a book lying forgotten in her lap as they shared stories about the countries they'd come from and where they were going. A man across the aisle from her was asleep, his pudgy body shaking with every snore that rattled softly from his mouth. She suddenly felt alone, but then again, she was used to be ostracized.

She was the only vampire that she knew, besides the ones she killed and her Master. She didn't know if Alucard was alive, or dead, or stuck in Limbo, or even if he was trying to get back to her side at all. Sometimes she could swear that she heard him calling her in her dreams; not the nicknames he made for her, but her true name. But in the end, she always woke up.

A part of her wanted to say goodbye to Hellsing and England, and venture off to see the world on her own. She had eternity, after all. She often daydreamed about it during long, boring nights when there weren't missions. She could visit all the wonders of the world. She could find others like herself and form partnerships, if not friendships. She could spend centuries training with monks in the mountains, decades travelling the deserts with a caravan, years hitchhiking across the U.S.A. with nothing but the clothes on her back. However, in each fantasy there was always another there, sometimes faceless and genderless; she never had to be alone in her dreams.

Somewhere in the back of her mind Captain Bernadotte spouted off about how she wasn't alone with him around but she ignored him and turned over in her seat, her head resting against the wall as she gazed out the porthole at the glittering stars.

When the plane landed it was, thankfully, cloudy early morning light that filtered through the windows. The Draculina busied herself with getting through customs and keeping track of her carryon, and was relieved when she saw the woman with glasses and tightly coiled silver hair waiting for her with a sign at her feet reading 'Hellsing'.

"Hello," Seras chirped cheerfully, smiling without showing her teeth, "Are you Juketti?" Hellsing had a good number of international branches scattered about the world, dealing with their own localized monsters, but the English home base was the main dealer of undead silencing. The woman bowed her head in return before holding out a hand to shake Seras'.

"I am Juketti, yes," she answered in a slow tone, her accent almost nonexistent. "But you may call me by my given name, Farida. Welcome to Delhi, Miss Victoria." Seras shook hands, surprised by the woman's strong grip, despite her silver hair. Was she not an old woman? She had silver hair, but her toned body and youthful face with only slight wrinkles made her look only a few years older than Sir Integra; perhaps in her late 30s. "We've been expecting you. Allow me to take your luggage."

"No, no thanks, really! I've got it; it's not heavy at all." Seras grabbed her bag (and the blood sealed inside that came through special security) and waved the older woman's hands away. "I can handle it." The woman smiled knowingly and nodded, turning to lead the way out of the airport.

"Very well then, Miss Victoria. We'll speak in the limo about our… problem."

Seras watched the streets pass by through the windows, which were tinted so that no one could see in. Of course, when everyone saw the red crest on the limo they immediately moved out of the way, making strange signs at the vehicle as it rode through. They raised their hands, fingers spread slightly. Some even said something, although of course Seras couldn't hear it in the car.

"It's hamsa. It protects against the evil eye," Farida explained. "Perhaps you English keep your secrets well, but here all know of who we are and what we do." She calmly took another sip of her wine and continued her scrutiny of the pale Englishwoman sitting across from her. "More specifically, who I am and what I do." She offered a hand to Seras. "Would you care for a drink? It is excellent fruit juice."

"Yes, thank you." Seras took the offered juice and smelled the citrusy fragrance drifting off the slight froth. She took a sip and smiled happily. "Delicious. But—why would they think that they needed protection from you?" Farida smiled mysteriously and stirred her wine by shaking the glass.

"I am a half-vampire child. My mother is one of the most feared in our culture," she said insipidly, as if she were commenting on the weather. Seras choked mid-sip and it took her a few minutes to recover.

"You? A what, dhampir?" Seras frowned. She didn't know that half-breeds existed. How did that happen? Surely—surely vampires didn't have a working reproductive tract; if they did, she had a bit to worry about, since hers most definitely stopped ten years ago.

"Vampiredzhiya, svetocher, dhampir, half-vampire; we have many names, for we exist in many cultures throughout the world." Farida explained all of this calmly, as if it were all rather boring to her. "But we are very rare… do not be alarmed by this news," she added quickly, seeing the shock openly evident on Seras' face. "I know of only three other of my kind at this moment, and they have not been any new ones made in the last hundred years at least. Truly, it is a freak of nature for it to happen."

"I see," Seras said slowly, letting the thought sink in. "So, do you have all the powers of a normal vampire?" she queried. Farida laughed softly, shaking her head.

"No, no. I have no powers, other than a longer than average lifespan. I have been alive for centuries, but in truth my body is that of a thirty-year-old woman. You would hardly be able to tell that I was abnormal, if it weren't for the unnatural hair." Her silver hair caught the lights of the limo and shone like moonlight. Seras nodded; perhaps that was for the best, after all. Farida leaned back in the chair, staring out the window as her eyes became distant.

"My mother, Chiruthevi, was pregnant at the time of her rebirth. When I came to term, I emerged this way. I grew within a year to adulthood, after which I didn't age past thirty years. I've been this way for a long time," she acknowledged with a sigh. "It only increases my pity for true Nosferatu. I will never live as long as you will, yet already I long for death."

She caught Seras' expression and smiled almost wearily. "Child, you are young yet. Have you even lived for half a century?" Seras shook her head. "No, but you will. And you will learn what I mean. I have lived many lifetimes; have seen many things. And with each passing season my longing for a peaceful end to life grows. I am ready for my afterlife."

"I see," Seras mumbled again, not sure of what to say. What was there to say, when someone tells you that they long to die? "I'm sorry; you said that your mother was feared? Why is she? Because she's a vampire?" Farida's smile, which hadn't left her lips the entire trip, fell and she turned away, her face hardening.

"I am ashamed of my lineage. My mother is a cruel and merciless creature; even in her human life she was so, and she does not regret a single moment. I sold my freedom for her life, only to be cast away like a dog." Seras blinked at her in confusion.

"Your freedom?" she asked. Farida nodded sharply, her mouth tightening.

"I threw myself at the feet of Hellsing soldiers, begging for them to spare my mother's life. They were planning on killing her for causing trouble in the Himalayas. They agreed, since it would give them a chance to study a half-breed. It's only been in the past hundred years that I've been allowed out as a field agent, instead of locked in a cell like a common lab rat." Her fingers tightened on the console she was resting her arm on before immediately relaxing. Her face schooled back into a friendly smile, if not a little forced.

"Even so, I do enjoy my job. Working as a field agent, I find, is very rewarding. Which is why this case irritates me so; I cannot solve it, no matter what I do. Even my contacts in my mother's coven have no leads for me."

"Right, the case." Seras leaned forward, but she was suddenly a little wary inside. Alucard had always told her to trust her gut instincts, and right now she felt that her companion had a less-than-healthy grudge against the Organization. But at the same time, the woman hadn't passed herself off as a threat in any way, and had even acknowledged that she had no true powers, which meant that Seras could easily overpower her. Seras couldn't help but feel a little flabbergasted over the whole thing.

"As you are aware, Miss Victoria, my country is having troubles with vampires, thus your involvement. My mother's people have sworn a contract not to interfere with mortals beyond the need for food, and there are strange… creatures. In the mountains, you cannot hear the animals for their moaning. The villages surrounding the mountains have been complaining of pale strangers that flinch at the hamsa, and only emerge at dusk. Each time I, or members of my division, have ventured out to track them down, they have fled our pursuit. The only thing we know for sure is that they are indeed vampires. Perhaps from the European continent. I believe those are your specialty?" There was something a little odd in Farida's tone, and the smile she gave sent shivers of warning down Seras' spine, but the girl nodded and smiled thoughtfully.

"Yes, I suppose that you could call it a specialty," she said evenly, trying not to sound too excited. Killing vampires in India was, as much as she hated saying it, almost a vacation from Hellsing. The FREAK vampires had only lasted so long, and Seras' work had slowly devolved into patrolling the mansion and bodyguard duty. Very dull, very tedious.

"So what village is it? Are we heading there now?" she almost tipped forward as she sat on the edge of her seat. She wasn't ready to head back to England, but she couldn't help but admit the thought of working her muscles for more than grunt work had her inner vampire jumping in place, ready for action. Farida looked surprised.

"You wish to go now?" she said, eyes slightly narrowed. "You wouldn't want to… rest first, perhaps?" Seras shook her head.

"No, it won't take me long, if it's just a small infestation. I'll be done and done by morning."

A tense silence fell between the pair before Farida lifted a small phone from the inside of the door, speaking in short, almost sharp, tones, the car turned and left the inner roads for the highway that would lead out to the countryside.

"As you wish, Miss Victoria." The phone was set down and the silver haired woman swirled her wine. Seras fidgeted, sipping her cup and forcing herself to recline back in the plush seating. The other's attitude put her on edge, and she had to fight to keep her arm from dissolving into a vortex of shadows as Pip's voice piped up in her head. "Isn't it a little early to go on a vampire hunt?" The Frenchman was teasing her, but she was not amused. Huffing inwardly, she pushed him back to the fringes of her mind, "Just keep watch, Captain."

It was about as backwater as she could imagine. Dirt roads, shacks for homes, and naked children that barely got out of the limo's way as they rolled into the mountainside village. Farida bid Seras to stay in the car and she watched as the woman spoke to the people in the village. From her motions, she must have been warning them against making the "magic" hand signs against Seras. The village leaders argued for a moment before nodding and Farida came back to fetch Seras.

"They will refrain from cursing you, but they insist you touch not a single drop of village blood. Do you have your own reserve?" she asked. "If not, we will gladly supply you."

"I'm alright. I have blood inside my luggage." Farida nodded once, expecting as much. She backed away and spoke to the driver in her native tongue. The burly man nodded sharply and moved to get Seras' luggage, carrying it into the biggest house in the center of the ramshackle huts.

The people moved away, parting like the Red Sea as Seras moved through their ranks. The women tugged their naked children away, the latter looking on with dark, curious stares at the pale woman with eyes the color of blood. She stared back just as curiously and they turned to hide in their mother's skirts. The men gave her hardened glares that let her know just how unwelcome she was into their village, moving away and muttering under their breath as she passed by.

"I get the feeling that I'm not wanted," she whispered under her breath to Farida. The woman turned back to look at her, her eyes slightly amused behind her glasses.

"Can you blame them? The only other foreigners they've seen have stolen their sons and daughters in the night. They are on their guard now, and with good reason." Seras nodded and looked around at the mountains, their snowy caps dyed by the sunset.

"Which mountain is it?" she asked Farida. Farida posed the same question to the natives and pointed out the smallest mountain in the range.

"There. It's a small mountain, but steep and dangerous to climb. Where humans cannot tread, these sons of devils leap like goats up the side. Or so the elders say."

"Oh, that won't be any problem for me." Seras grinned, baring her teeth at Farida as the shadow at her feet expanded, showing a single scythe like wing attached to her left shoulder. The natives cried out and drew back to their homes, and Seras felt mildly guilty. But her excitement at a proper fight countered the emotion easily. "I should be back by morning." Seras promised, "But first, I need something from my bags."

A few minutes later found the Draculina jogging – to her, anyways, she was going a good 20mph at least – towards the mountain sucking down her crimson lunch. Armed with one of her smaller guns (she was teased back home by the men calling it "Kitten" since it resembled her Master's Jackal) Seras shoved the empty plastic bag into her belt - it's not nice to litter! - and craned her head back to examine the small mountain. It looked somehow sad, there was nothing green growing on it, and she couldn't detect even a hint of the local wild life at its base. There was a subtle tang of old blood in the air, growing stronger the closer she got.

Seras' ears pricked as she thought she heard something on the wind, and she picked up her pace a little, bounding forward in great leaps of speed, feeling a little giddy. Secure in the fact that no one important was watching, she did a little cartwheel and giggled as she bumped into a small rock. Shaking her head, she scolded herself lightly to take the mission more seriously.

"Mignonette." Pip's voice stopped her dead, and she felt her hackles rise as the wind in hear ears stopped, revealing the low moan of ghouls. A lot of ghouls. Nodding to herself, she advanced with cautious steps, hugging the craggy sides of the mountain as she ascended the steep slopes. The wind changed and she nearly gagged at the concentrated rot of congealed blood smacking her in the face. It had been years since she'd found a group this large together.

Shaking her head to clear it of the dizzy feeling, she pulled her jacket off, securing the sleeves around her waist as he shadow arm expanded to the swirling whip like shape it took during the London Blitz. Freeing the gun from her hip, she leapt silently through the chasm to land in the midst of the ghoul army, face split in a maniacal grin that eerily resembled her Master. The zombified creatures turned to stare at her, silent for a moment, before they growled and lunged with dirty scabby hands. Slicing through them easily, she had to fight the urge to laugh. She understood, now, at least some of her Master's enjoyment in battle when one had so much more power than their pitiful opponents. Heads rolled as she mercifully ended their lives, without needing to waste a single precious bullet.

Black blood and ash coated the miniature valley floor, the wind unable to sweep it all away, caged in as they were between the mountain walls. Just as her shadows reached out to silence the last group of ghouls, something shifted, a rock clattering towards the ground. The Draculina looked up, and froze in shock for a second, having forgotten her mission briefing with Sir Integra and their foreknowledge of the Nazi bastards. Having shown surprise, she decided to just play along with it; there on the wall was a bloody swastika.

"Not the bloody Nazis again!" Seras swore, aware that she was being watched. Something moved that pebble on purpose so she'd know who made the corpse army.

"Yes, Frauline, the bloody Nazis again!" A voice sneered, the words echoing off the close rock faces, and Seras snarled as she turned, trying to locate the source. Pip's warning came too late (Behind you!) as something hard cracked her in the skull. She staggered, growling and hissing like a cornered beast as her shadows lashed out. The Frenchman's voice was muffled as something cold splashed over her, and she screamed. It burned like fire! Unknown to the Draculina, her smoking skin was being surrounded by a bloody glow as her instictive side kicked in, self preservation at its finest. And then everything went dark as multiple heavy weights collided with her form simultaneously.

"Put her in the cage with the other one."