Chapter 46:
– Valerie –
I stormed through the front doors of Hellsing Manor. Narcissa was right behind me. Sairaorg and his queen Kuisha followed close behind.
The moment I crossed the threshold, I gasped. My heart skipped a beat at the sight in front of me. The grand entrance hall was a fucking battlefield.
Dozens of bodies littered the floor—grotesque, rotting ghouls in modern combat gear, most of them riddled with bullet holes or sliced apart, some still twitching slightly. But mixed in among the undead were too many Hellsing soldiers. Human ones. Some of them were missing limbs. Some were burned. Some were just…gone from the chest up.
The stench of blood and burnt flesh hit me like a wall, making my stomach turn even after everything I'd already been through tonight.
I stepped further inside, trying to keep my breathing steady, but the sheer carnage made my skin crawl. These weren't faceless grunts. I recognized some of them. I remembered chatting with them during training, laughing at jokes in the mess hall. Now their lifeless bodies were crumpled across the tile like discarded dolls, their rifles shattered, their throats torn out, eyes wide open and staring at nothing.
"Fuck," I breathed, my voice cracking a little. I felt my hands tighten into fists without realizing it. "This is horrible."
Beside me, Narcissa's expression twisted into one of pure disgust. Her eyes scanned the destruction, then narrowed sharply. "I'm going to the basement," she said firmly, her voice tight and clipped. "My sister's down there. I need to make sure she's safe."
"Go," I said immediately, glancing at her. "We'll cover the rest."
She nodded and took off without another word, sprinting through the bloodied hallways, her heels clicking rapidly across the floor.
I turned to Sairaorg and Kuisha, who were both staring at the bodies with a mix of revulsion and growing anger. Sairaorg knelt briefly to check the pulse of one of the fallen soldiers, then stood and shook his head, jaw clenched tightly.
"I'm sorry about your comrades," he muttered.
"I'll get revenge…" I said bitterly. My ears twitched. I heard it clearly—muffled gunfire and screams, maybe two hallways over.
"You should go check that out. Kuisha and I will head back outside and make sure none of these attackers escape," Sairarog told me.
I thanked him and took off.
…I sprinted down the corridor. The deeper into the manor I got, the worse the smell became—rotting flesh especially.
The walls were smeared with blackened handprints and streaks of gore, and everywhere I looked, there were more bodies. Ripped open torsos. Snapped limbs. Eyes frozen wide in terror. Soldiers. Ghouls. All tangled together in what had obviously been a very intense battle.
The further I ran, the more I could hear them—human voices ahead, shouting commands and curses over the roaring echo of gunfire.
"Fall back! FUCK—fall back!"
"Get to cover—shit, I'm out!"
"I need a new mag—where the fuck is—!"
That last voice turned into a scream of pain.
My stomach clenched violently, and I pushed myself harder. I rounded a corner at full speed and skidded to a halt at the end of the next hallway. What I saw nearly stopped my heart.
There had to be over a dozen undead crammed into the corridor—heavily armed ghouls in shredded tactical gear, their skin peeling from their bones. They were facing away from me, pressing forward, cornering someone in the next room.
I heard more screams. Human screams.
Without hesitation, I raised my revolver and fired.
BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG.
All six rounds, gone in under three seconds.
My holy bullets tore through the nearest ghouls like paper. Heads exploded, limbs tore off, torsos collapsed in on themselves with burning holes through their hearts and chests. The front line dropped fast—but there were more. Way more.
I dropped the spent cylinder from my revolver and let it clatter to the floor, already raising my free hand.
"Bombarda!" I shouted, sending a blast of concussive energy into the group.
A fireball exploded through the corridor, engulfing several ghouls in a wave of heat and flame. They shrieked as the magic tore through them, bodies erupting in flame and shrapnel.
"Bombarda Maxima!"
The next blast took out half the hallway. The walls cracked and splintered. Smoke filled the air. Body parts flew in every direction, slapping wetly against walls and floor. I kept casting, over and over. I didn't stop until nothing else moved.
The last one fell with its head half blown off, collapsing into a pile of twitching limbs and splattered guts. The hallway went still.
I didn't wait to admire the carnage. I shoved forward through the remains, kicking aside scorched gear and smoking flesh until I reached the next room.
Inside, three still living Hellsing soldiers were crouched behind a makeshift barricade of flipped desks and rubble. One was slumped with blood pouring from a shredded leg. Another was clutching a broken arm with part of the bone sticking out. The third was covered in blood and burns, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he panted for breath.
All three looked up when they saw me. Their eyes widened with relief and disbelief.
"Valerie?" one of them croaked.
"Thank fucking god," said the guy with the burned arms. "I thought we were done."
"You still might be if you don't drink this," I said quickly, stepping forward.
I didn't care about keeping my abilities hidden anymore. At this point, subtlety was out the window. I extended my hand, and with a soft pulse of energy, my Sacred Gear manifested—the Healing Grail. The golden chalice appeared in my palm, radiating a soft, warm glow. It was already filled with blood—my blood.
I held it out to them. "Drink. All of you. Now."
They hesitated for only a second, exchanging stunned glances. The one with the broken arm moved first, grimacing as he crawled over and took the cup carefully with his good hand. He sniffed it once, then brought it to his lips.
The effect was instant. As the blood slid down his throat, the bone in his arm began to shift. Skin knit itself together. Muscle and tendon twitched as they reformed. His eyes went wide with shock.
"Holy shit," he gasped. "I can feel it—my fucking fingers—!"
Sure enough, the two missing digits on his left hand began to regrow before our eyes. Skin and muscle reformed seamlessly. Even the nails came back. The man let out a choked laugh, overwhelmed.
The second soldier was already taking his turn, gulping the blood down with trembling hands. The gaping wound in his leg sealed shut like it had never been there. The third followed right after, his burns disappearing in seconds, soot and dead skin flaking off to reveal clean, healthy flesh beneath.
None of them could say anything for a moment. They just sat there, staring at me like I was some kind of miracle walking.
I watched the soldiers for a few more seconds, making sure they could stand on their own now. They were still shaken—shaky hands, blood-streaked uniforms, wide eyes full of disbelief—but they were alive. Thanks to me.
"Stay here," I said, my tone firm. "You're safe for now. Barricade the doors again and don't open them unless it's someone you know. I'm going to clear out the rest of the manor."
The one with the newly regrown fingers gave me a quick salute, though his hand still trembled slightly. "Yes, ma'am," he rasped.
I turned to leave, my hand already reaching for my revolver again to reload it, when one of the others called out softly behind me.
"Wait… Valerie."
I paused and turned halfway toward him.
It was the guy with the leg wound—the one I'd just healed. "Captain Rodriguez didn't make it," he said.
I clenched my fist so tight my nails dug into my palm. My scowl deepened.
He wasn't just another soldier. He was a good man. One of the first humans in this place who'd treated me like an actual person from day one. He always made sure I had what I needed on missions. Always had my back during drills. Joked with me about my "harem." Checked on me frequently.
And he had a family. A wife. A daughter.
Fuck.
"I'll make sure whoever's responsible dies screaming," I said quietly.
Then I left the room without looking back.
The hallway outside was a mess of gore and smoke, but I focused. I closed my eyes and inhaled sharply.
There wasn't space to fly with my wings in these tight corridors, so I did something faster. My form exploded into a swarm of crimson-tinged bats, dozens of them flooding through the air in a rapid blur. My senses fractured across all of them, allowing me to see through many pairs of eyes as I zipped through the manor—hallways, stairwells, smoke-choked chambers.
I reached the main atrium and reformed mid-air, slamming down onto the cracked tile in a crouch.
Selene was already there. She stood over a vampire, a smug little shit who was missing both legs and arms. Somehow, despite being a twitching torso and nothing else, he still managed to lean his blood-splattered head back and flash her a cocky grin.
The fucker was still smirking at us. "Well, look at that," he coughed wetly, voice raspy but sleazy. "Another one of you sexy bitches showed up for little ol' me. There's more than enough of me to go around… My legs are gone but my dick still works… I think?"
"Just shut up and die," Selene muttered.
She raised her pistol and fired without hesitation. The round punched clean through his forehead, and whatever smugness he had left vanished along with half his skull. His body twitched once, then went limp.
I glanced at the corpse, then back at Selene, who was already holstering her pistol like it was just another Tuesday.
"You need any healing?" I asked her.
She shook her head once, brushing a lock of blood-splattered hair away from her face. "I'm fine. That cocky little shit didn't land a single shot on me."
"Good." I exhaled and looked around briefly. "What about the others? Seras, Rose, Integra?"
Selene sighed through her nose. "Last I heard, Seras managed to save Rose from some kind of monster. They're both holed up now with Lady Integra in one of the secure rooms. The visiting dignitaries are with them. Should be safe, for now."
That eased the knot in my chest a little, but only a little.
"Rose is pretty shaken," she added, giving me a look that was part concern and part pointed reminder. "You should go comfort her as soon as this is all over. She's strong, but… she's still young. This kind of shit leaves marks."
Even in the middle of a massacre, Selene couldn't help giving me motherly advice. I gave her a small, tired smile. "You ever stop giving me advice?"
"No," she said without missing a beat.
I chuckled, just a little. God, I needed that.
The moment was short-lived. My senses flared like a switch had been flipped. It hit me like a warm pulse of pressure pushing through my chest, tingling along my spine.
Selene felt it too. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "You feel that?"
I nodded slowly. "Yeah… What the fuck is that? It doesn't feel demonic or dead—it feels… alive."
A second later, the ground trembled beneath us. A low, rhythmic BOOM-BOOM-BOOM sounded from somewhere outside, each one louder than the last. Glass cracked in the windows nearby. The floor vibrated under my boots.
Selene and I locked eyes for a second before wordlessly sprinting toward the nearest window. The manor was already half-destroyed, so I didn't even think twice. I braced myself, raised one boot, and smashed it straight through the glass. Shards rained down around us as we jumped out and landed hard on the mangled lawn below.
The source of the disruption was impossible to miss.
Sairaorg Bael was outside in the courtyard, fists blazing with energy, golden light wrapping around his body like a damn aura. He was shirtless now—of course he was—his muscles practically glowing under the golden sheen as he beat the ever-loving hell out of some unfortunate bastard devil.
The guy looked like he'd been hit by a truck… repeatedly.
"Holy shit," I breathed. Sairorg was really strong…
"That's… definitely not any power I've ever heard of," Selene muttered beside me, squinting.
I narrowed my eyes, focusing harder. That was it. That was what I'd felt. That golden energy pulsing off him—pure life force. Not magic. Not darkness. Not death. Just… raw vitality. It was practically pouring off of him like a beacon, and I'd never felt anything like it.
Kuisha stood off to the side. She noticed us right away and offered a smug little smirk. "Caught this one trying to flee," she called out casually. "But don't worry—my king's got it under control."
Wham!
Sairaorg's fist smashed clean into the devil's skull. I heard the crack of bone right before the bastard's head caved in completely, his body going limp and crumpling to the ground like discarded trash.
The golden aura around Sairaorg faded almost immediately. That insane glow of life energy that had been pouring off him finally settled as he straightened up and adjusted his shoulders. He looked calm, almost relaxed—like he'd just finished a light jog instead of annihilating someone with his bare hands.
"Not a bad warm-up," he said, rolling his neck and casually grabbing his shirt from the ground. He slipped it on as he walked back toward us.
Kuisha smiled proudly as he approached. "You did good, my king," she said, brushing a few wrinkles out of his shirt before stepping back beside him.
I gave a small nod and offered them both a quiet, sincere, "Thanks."
Kuisha tilted her head slightly, scanning the surroundings. "I don't sense any more devils nearby. We can help with the rest of the cleanup if you need."
I shook my head. "You've both done plenty already. Thank you for backing us up, but we've got it from here."
Selene gave a firm nod beside me, her arms crossed as she watched Sairaorg with a measured look. She didn't say anything, but I could tell she agreed.
The truth was, we couldn't afford to come off like we needed backup right now. We were Hellsing. Even after a shitshow like this, we had to hold the line and maintain some fucking dignity.
Thankfully, neither Sairaorg nor Kuisha seemed like the type to use that against us. If anything, they looked genuinely content just having helped. No pressure. No smugness. Just solid, dependable allies—which made them rare as hell these days.
Sairaorg gave me a nod of his own. "I do have something important to talk to you about," he said. "But it can wait. I'll let you summon me tomorrow when you've got time. You'll want to be rested for that conversation."
I narrowed my eyes a little but gave a short nod. "Fair enough." I'd basically already forgotten what he was talking about earlier though…
We exchanged a few more words of thanks, and then Kuisha stepped forward, raising a hand. A wide teleportation circle bloomed at their feet, glowing faintly beneath them. A second later, they were gone.
Just me and Selene still outside…and all the bodies.
She looked over at me as the light faded, her expression steady and calm. "Alright," she said. "Let's finish cleaning this place up."
We both pulled out our guns and proceeded to sweep through the manor, getting rid of the rest of ghouls now that the vampires and devils were all taken care of.
…
An hour later…
I sat on the edge of my bed, shoulders slumped, trying to process everything that had happened. Somehow, my room was completely untouched. It was quiet now. Or maybe that was just the silencing spell that my maid had cast.
Narcissa sat beside me, one leg crossed over the other, her arm resting lightly on my thigh. She glanced around with a small, proud smile. "I added extra wards around your room, Mistress," she said softly. "Just in case. No one can enter unless they're welcome."
I turned my head slightly, quirking a brow at her. "And just who qualifies as welcome?"
She smiled at me, eyes warm and knowing. "Just you," she said sweetly. "Myself, of course. Seras Victoria. And that adorable Potter girl you're so fond of."
I let out a quiet chuckle. "You covered all the important ones, I guess."
Before either of us could say more, the door creaked open.
There they were.
Seras stepped in first, and she looked–not terrible. Her police girl uniform was torn in several places, her face splattered with drying blood. But none of it seemed to be hers. .
Right behind her was Rose.
Her clothes were a mess—ripped jeans and a hoodie that had clearly seen better days. Her skin was bruised, scraped, with a couple nasty burns on her arms and one faint mark near her jawline. Her brown hair was a tangled mess, and her green eyes looked puffy from crying.
I stood up immediately, heart thudding hard. "Rose," I breathed, rushing over to them.
Without waiting, I wrapped both arms around her and pulled her in tight. She melted into me, arms clinging to my waist as she pressed her face into my shoulder.
"I was so scared," she sniffled, her voice muffled against my shirt. "I thought—I thought I was gonna die. If Seras hadn't found me…"
"I've got you," I whispered, stroking her back gently. "You're safe now. I've got you."
Seras stood beside us, watching with a tired but genuine smile. "Don't let her sell herself short," she said, her voice a bit raspy. "Rose fought like hell before I showed up."
Rose let out a shaky laugh, her fingers gripping tighter at the back of my jacket. "She's just saying that to make me feel better…"
"No, I'm not," Seras said simply, reaching out to ruffle Rose's messy hair.
I smiled and hugged both of them tighter. Then I felt another pair of arms snake around me from behind, pulling in close.
It was Narcissa.
Her body pressed warmly into my back, soft breasts molding against me as she wrapped us all up in her arms. Her cheek rested lightly on my shoulder, and she exhaled slowly, content.
"This is nice," she murmured. "Let's all stay like this for a little while." Narcissa inhaled softly behind me. Then she let out a little tut under her breath.
I turned slightly to look at her. Her nose crinkled faintly as she gave us all a once-over.
"Well," she said as she wrinkled her nose, "everyone in this room smells like blood and soot and trauma. We all need a bath. Immediately."
Rose blinked and pulled back from my chest just enough to stare at Narcissa with wide, flustered eyes. "W-what?" she sputtered, cheeks turning a deep red. "A bath?"
Narcissa nodded like she was commenting on the weather. "Yes. And I'll enlarge the tub, so we can all fit. Easily."
I glanced at Seras just in time to catch the faint flare in her red eyes. Her lips pressed together in what might've been a smirk.
Honestly? The idea didn't sound bad. After everything we'd just been through, it might not fix everything—but it'd help.
"That sounds like a great idea," I said, already shrugging off my jacket and tossing it to the floor.
And fuck it—my day had started in the tub with Narcissa. Might as well end my day in it too…
XXX