There was foreboding, choking silence in the dungeon, that screamed and deafened one's sense of hearing, making the eyes widen and the heart jump at each shadow the mind conjured from the darkness. The shadows dispelled like burning, fragile pages from a forsaken Bible when the light of a swinging lantern set the dungeon aflame with a ring of light. Abraham van Hellsing stared defiantly into this blinding darkness and he broke it ungracefully when he resumed his steps, hard boots clashing against the naked stones. He delved deeper into the dungeon, moving towards a chamber that served as his blood rusted lab where scientists were seeing to the continued experiments that were performed on his undead slave. His cobalt blue eyes flashed with recognition when they locked onto the white, smudged door where a small rectangular window at eye level granted him a view of what was going inside without disrupting the scientist's progress.

Hellsing narrowed his eyes while making his mouth frown, perplexed. Someone was standing before the door, and then they moved and were replaced with someone else. Mouths were moving and, this close to the door, Abraham could hear the buzz of continuous voices. Blue eyes blinked and a gloved hand met the handle of the door, opening it as scientists started and gave him entrance. The man managed to step past the doorway and glance about the room, but when the latch of the door behind him clicked, isolating the lab, his gaze stumbled upon the vampire that was huddled in the corner of the room, his feet slipping silently as he pressed further into the wall. Crimson eyes stared straight ahead between pale slender fingers that covered his face, moving roughly over his features. A finger caught in his hair, but the hand didn't pause, continuing as before and tearing out strands of hair from the knot. What sounded like a faint hiss in the background of the chamber was determined to originate from the vampire's moving lips that whispered incoherent words…or so the scientists believed to be the case, too afraid to approach the creature to find out for sure.

"What is he doing?" Abraham breathed, revulsion and curiosity fighting for dominance in his features. He glanced around at the men as if they held the answer. Realizing they were just as lost as he, the man frowned and stepped forward with caution. "What did you do to him?" he murmured emotionlessly and the men dithered before telling Hellsing about the series of chemicals that had been injected into the beast.

"He tore out of the blessed bondage…" spoke a sheepish man who recalled the horrific scene. "They ripped his body apart…but he was just…oblivious." The scientist stared at the white surgical table with the gnarled metal straps that resembled a decimated ribcage now that they twisted outwards grotesquely. "He healed instantly though…the blood…coming to life…following him as he staggered about and finally ended up where he is now."

"How long has this been going on?" Abraham reached his slave's feet and he gazed down at the blank eyes that were looking right through his legs.

"Minutes, Sir. We've…he haven't kept track…"

The scientists were more disturbed by the behavior than Hellsing was, numbly wondering what the man would do to them if the vampire remained this way. Some gasped when Abraham leaned over the creature, waving his hand before Alucard's face.

Hellsing furrowed his brow when the beast's eyes didn't register the movement, not even flinching. A fluctuation in volume from the rambling whispers made the man jerk and pale.

"What is this?...Where am I?" the airy questions continued, becoming fainter as Hellsing stared.

"ALUCARD!"

The scientists jumped at the sudden exclamation, but the vampire didn't respond. Alucard curled awkwardly, smacking his nose into his knee as he stilled his legs. He didn't seem to notice the blood that flowed from it afterwards. Abraham recoiled, stepping back, away from the damned being.

"Alucard!"

Nothing changed, making the man curse to himself. "I don't think he can hear me…" or see me…Hellsing thought…can he not feel?

No one spoke as Hellsing assessed the situation. Slowly, he triggered the seal.

The red eyes shot open as the vampire threw back his head, cracking it against the cement wall, causing blood to dribble down his neck and stain his collar. Alucard gave an earth shattering scream that sent hands flying to cover the men's ears. Abraham immediately ended the seal, stumbling backwards as the piercing voice left, hissing in pain. He shook his head to rid himself of the ringing that was left behind.

"Damn it." Hellsing winced with a groan that was echoed by the other humans he turned to crossly, shouting orders. He stopped when one of the men stared past him and pointed.

"Sir…turn around…" a man whispered with wide eyes.

Hellsing turned and froze. His eyes refused to register the tremors that shook his huddled slave, but they were forced to when the man's stupor shattered with the stilling of the creature's body and the lines of red that ran down its face, delicate, streaming ribbons wrapping around the pure white features.

*~*~:.+.:~*~*

Abraham began ordering men out of the room, allowing only two to remain. Hellsing was planning on resorting to the risky task of draining the creature of blood in order to immobilize it before it hurt someone. Abraham readied, pulling out a long, curved knife from the collage of metal that hung on the wall, and he bent forward to slice through the creature's neck and to stab him in the heart. The man hesitated though, when he recognized that Alucard had fallen into a sleep-like state, with his eyes closed and his unnecessary breaths coming in a steady rhythm. Tears were still coming from the creature's eyes, but they were seeping into a small smile.

Abraham was dumbfounded.

"He's happy." The man whispered for only his own ears to hear. "Why is he happy about this?"

He cast aside these thoughts and cut into the undead flesh. Blood drained for mere seconds before it retreated back into the nosferatu's body, dismaying the scientists. Abraham sighed, but was unfazed.

"We'll have to use the seal to drain his energy."

The scientists scurried out of the room, followed by Hellsing who shut and bolted the door. They could still hear the screams as they left the dungeon air for the main level of the mansion.

*~*~:.+.:~*~*

I'm dead.

The thought echoed in the black…or white realm. There was no color. No distinction. There was no sound, touch, even a taste in the being's own mouth. There was no air, no sensation brought with breathing…and one could not feel if one was breathing, or really moving…at all. The vampire imagined a position, trying to feel himself, to find something of substance. It was like he was…nothing…but thought. Nothing…at all.

Humor flooded into the dead mind, giving the allusion of warmth, but it was chilled by peace that settled like a veil over the mind.

If I am dead…the creature thought, still trying to move and feel…would this form of death…be undesirable?

Pain. Pain cascaded into the vampire and the thought he had existed as was burned away by the sheer agony. Then it was gone and the whitened mind slowly dimmed and allowed thought once more.

Just like the seal, Alucard mused, feeling anxiety on the edge of his consciousness, as well as bliss. What if I am dead? They accidentally killed me… My Master would be angry…but why think of the man? At a time like this? If this is my death…or if it was…then it was pathetic…but where I am now…with bouts of pain…yet consciousness…I think I would deserve a worse eternity. Not feeling…isolation…it's like dreaming…sleep…and I rather like it, actually. Don't I? To sleep and never wake up…I've fantasized about it so..many..many times. The pain interrupts it, punishment….for everything I've done….but it's not terrible…if it stops like this. It's not worse than life…it's bearable…because of the peace…the total sleep. God…is this all it takes to make me happy? Pitiful…but I can't deny the truth. I…

Pain descended on the mind and nothing else could occupy the existence…except for a single thought… I wonder if anyone can hear my screams?

*~*~:.+.:~*~*