The Nightwalker's Bride

2. Rosaline

Victoria stood before Rosaline amazed by her doll-like beauty.

"Call me Victoria." She said sitting on the chair.

"Victoria" Rosaline repeated.

"So, you're Rosaline? Everyone has been talking about you. I wish I could have seen you arrive. They say you're bulletproof."

"Bulletproof?"

"Yes, bullets don't hurt you."

"What are bullets?" Rosaline asked.

Victoria stood up from her chair and took out her gun. She took a few steps back and then shot at the backrest blowing a hole in the middle.

"That was a bullet. They put holes in things."

"Like my dress." She looked down at the holes that riddled the fabric of her dress.

"Yes, but they're supposed to go through you. And kill you."

"Oh, I see," Rosaline said like a child. There was an awkward pause for a moment.

"You don't go out much, do you?" Victoria asked feeling little bad for her.

"No." she shook her head confused not sure she actually knew what Victoria meant.

"So how did you meet Alucard?" Victoria asked trying to continue the conversation.

"When I bloomed," Rosaline said as a matter of fact. "How did you meet him?"

"Right... Hmm well, I met him a long time ago when he first arrived in England. Because of my friend. Her name was Lucy, she died. Everyone dies." Victoria looked sad for a second before shaking her head and resuming her cheerful disposition. "Anyway, because of Lucy, I got myself turned into a vampire, by Alucard no less. And now I work for HIDE killing all manner of dangerous superhuman beings."

"I see," Rosaline repeated taking in all of the information.

"So, Rosaline, why are you here?"

"Alucard."

"Ah, Alucard! I think someone mentioned that on my way in. But the real question is: why?"

"Because I love him."

"Okay... Is there any other reason? I mean I would understand if you'd come to put an end to him. After all the terrible things he's done, revenge seems reasonable. Quite a few people have had vendettas against him."

"No." Rosaline interrupted. "That's not what I want."

"What do you want then?"

"To be by his side. I want him to love me like I love him." Rosaline stated simply, her red eyes as clear as day.

Victoria had always been smart and a good judge of character, so she knew there was no trace of irony in that girl's voice. No lies nor malice. That's why she knew this girl would travel the ends of the earth to prove her love. And that was terrifying.

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"...And there you have it, folks, the evil crone's motivation," Victoria finished sarcastically after reporting everything to Lord Hellsing who sat at his desk. Butler stood beside him taking casual drolls of his Cuban cigar while Alucard stood by the door like a shadow. Victoria continued, "She did confess to attacking the poor archeologist who found her. Apparently, they were looking for the remains of a supposed town that was crushed by a landslide in the middle ages. I guess petrified vampiress wasn't part of their expected findings."