THE FIRST

The creature escaped on the roof, the vampire they’d tracked for the past three weeks, a type B with a kill record of fifty-five. Hellsing’s armored agents leapt from their vehicles and chased after it by foot as it entered a more secluded area of the city.

Integra made a mental note to always, always leave spare sneakers in her car.

Wobbling on her platform heels, the sixteen-year-old managed to run to the center of the action without falling on her face. “Squad A!” she shouted over the noise. “Get to Primary and cut it off! Squad B and C, cover 13th and 14th. Shoot on sight!”

The soldiers’ boots stirred up a storm of dust. It landed on her face, working themselves into her blush and mascara, creating an uncomfortable sticky feeling. She wiped it with the sleeve of her new jacket. The stain was not going to come out without a few good washing. She scowled as a voice came from behind.

“It seems you’ve wasted that outfit on the wrong occasion.”

She didn’t bother to turn around. Two lumbering ghouls were making their way in her direction. She spotted a quick movement above her. The vampire had spotted her people and doubled back. “God damn it!” she shouted. “Where the hell’s my gun?”

“If I may point out…”

“Shut up!” she snapped, climbing into the back of the car and fumbling under the seat for her pistol. Her white skirt was probably flaring up behind her and giving the alpha vampire and any soldiers passing by a good view of her panties. But that didn’t matter. “Make yourself useful and take care of the ghouls!”

Two deafening gunshots. Integra pulled herself out of the car, pistol in hand. The soldiers had the vampire cornered. It was just a matter of time, but she loaded and cocked her gun just in case. She looked around, making sure there were no hidden attackers or other ghouls. When the perimeter seemed secure, she finally turned to the vampire.

Instead of her usual suit, she was wearing a light blue tank top and white miniskirt, topped by a sporty brown jacket. On her feet were stylish black platform heels that she could barely walk in. Her hair was swept up in a pony tail and tied off with a red ribbon, and she was wearing one dangling pearl earring, the mate of which she’d lost on the way over here. On her face was a layer of light foundation, blush, eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick.

She didn’t blame him for looking at her the way he did.

“As I was saying, master,” said Alucard in utter amusement, “it would seem that you overdressed.”

She scoffed. “I will have you know that I am not silly enough to dress up for a hunt. I happened to have other plans tonight.”

Gunshots far off. A screech. The vampire was wounded. The soldiers were closing in. It had made another ghoul, but that was quickly taken down. As she watched the final slaughter, Integra sighed.

Tonight was supposed to be special. It was supposed to be different. She wasn’t supposed to be running around with a gun in her hand and dirt in her hair. She was supposed to be a lady tonight, not a commander. She was supposed to talk and laugh and entertain, not shout orders until her throat was sore.

He was the grandson of one of the older Convention members. Though at first it seemed strange that someone she worked would have a grandchild her age, the boy’s pleasant mannerisms soon won her over. He wasn’t uneasy at her position of power and was generally nice and a good conversationalist. He was handsome, had a sweet disposition, and shyly told her she was pretty. He had asked to go to a dinner and a show with him.

She looked at her smudged sleeve. Her meticulous makeup was surely ruined by now, and her ponytail was a mess. There was a stain on her front. Blood or dirt or gunpowder, she didn’t know.

“You are disappointed.”

Was he teasing her? “Yes,” she said unwaveringly. “I am. But duty comes first.”

It was supposed to be her first date. She was more disappointed than she let on. On the one night she was supposed to live and be treated like a normal girl, she wound up on the battlefield again. Hell, she didn’t even get dinner.

The senior officer ran up to her and saluted. “Target silenced,” he said.

She returned the salute. “Good work, order clean up.”

The soldier left. The commotions began to die down as the clean up crew came around to do their work. Her stomach growled from hunger. Turning, she fished in the back of the car again, and only found a half-melted candy bar in her purse. Tearing off the wrapper, she leaned against the hood of the car and bit into it.

“There will be others.”

She looked at the vampire, who had mimicked her stance against the car. “No,” she said, shaking her head. “There won’t.”

“Do you have so little confidence in your own feminine appeal, master?”

“It’s not that.” The candy bar had too many peanuts. She hated peanuts. “This was supposed to be my first date. This may seem ridiculous to someone like you, but first dates are very important to a girl. This was it. It was supposed to be nice, and peaceful, and fun. I’m supposed to remember it forever. But instead, I stood him up, ruined my only decent outfit, and, well…” she gestured with her gun at the scene before them. “This.”

Alucard nodded. Rummaging absently in his coat, he produced a packet of medical blood. “Interesting.”

“Is it pathetic?”

He shook his head and took a sip from the packet. “Not at all. And even if it was, I am in no place to judge. After all, I was born in a time when courtship rituals were quite different. But pray tell, master, what would a first date usually entail to a young human like yourself?”

The vampire’s body was being disposed of with an acid mixture. To a normal human, it would be quite the gut-churning sight. Integra watched with mild fascination and bit into her candy bar again. “I don’t know,” she replied. “Dinner and a show, hopefully with someone whose company you enjoy.”

“Is that it?”

“As near as I can figure it.”

The clean up crew packed the remains into a sterile container and loaded it into their truck. Alucard drained his medical blood and tossed the packet aside. “Good at what they do, aren’t they?”

Integra shrugged and finished her candy bar. “I wouldn’t expect any less.”

“Good.” He stepped in front of her. “They put on a great show, don’t they?”

She eyed him in confusion. “What are you…”

He leaned down and kissed her lightly on her lips. Her eyes widened in surprise as the straightened.

“What did you do that for?”

He tipped his hat politely. “If I am not totally out of touch, I believe the first date is supposed to be sealed with a kiss. I have thoroughly enjoyed your company tonight, Miss Hellsing, and I hope the feeling is mutual.”

She considered thrashing him, then considered shooting him, but in the end, she turned away.

“I’m tired,” she said, “so I’m willing to let this slip.” She motioned for the trooped to move out and climbed back into her car. Alucard held the door open for her.

“Is it customary to inquire upon the possibility of a second date at the end of the first?”

She closed the door without answering, but he saw her flushed smile through the tinted windows.