StarWaves
patreon
The Blood Queen 48
🕑 Added 2025-05-05 03:36:34 +0000 UTCChapter 48:
– Valerie –
Gabriel suddenly stepped closer to me. Before I knew what was happening, her slender arms wrapped gently around my waist from behind, holding me possessively.
I froze, sharply inhaling in surprise.
Her touch was warm even through the thick fabric of my favorite red leather jacket. I could clearly feel the softness of her body against my back, especially the plush warmth of her ample breasts pressing lightly into me. Heat rushed to my cheeks, and my heart started beating faster.
Gabriel leaned even closer, her silky golden hair brushing lightly against my face. She smelled sweet and fresh, a heavenly scent that made my thoughts grow fuzzy. For a second, the world seemed to disappear. All I could focus on was Gabriel’s warm embrace and the gentle rhythm of her breathing near my ear.
Honestly, it felt way better than it should have.
An awkward cough suddenly snapped me back to reality. Blinking quickly, I glanced up and saw Kuisha watching us with a carefully neutral expression. Beside her, Sairaorg stared in shock. Kuisha raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly waiting for an explanation.
My face flushed even hotter, embarrassment mixing with irritation. "Gabriel, what are you—?"
"Excuse me, but—" Sairaorg hesitated, looking uncomfortable. His usually calm expression was now cautious and surprised, his violet eyes wide. "I've never seen an angel act so boldly before. Aren't you worried you'll fall?"
Gabriel chuckled softly, the gentle sound vibrating against my back. She lifted her chin proudly, squeezing me a little tighter in response. "Fall? Me? Absolutely not," she said confidently, her clear voice filled with assurance. "There’s not even the slightest chance of that happening!"
Her words lingered, leaving both Sairaorg and Kuisha looking uncertain and confused. Honestly, I couldn’t blame them. I was struggling to believe it myself—being affectionately held by a gorgeous angel wasn't exactly something that happened every day, especially not on a gloomy British beach.
Gabriel sighed softly and loosened her grip, allowing me to breathe easier. She still didn't completely let go though, resting her chin lightly on my shoulder instead. Her eyes calmly met the cautious gazes of the two devils. "My apologies if I've startled either of you," Gabriel said softly, her voice gentle but firm. "But please understand—I simply can't allow our Church’s most important Saintess to travel recklessly into the Underworld."
I blinked, her words taking a moment to fully register. Saintess? Most important Saintess? When exactly had that become my official title? My thoughts spun in confusion. "Wait—Saintess?" I repeated, glancing sideways to catch Gabriel’s amused gaze. "Since when did I become the Church’s most important anything? I thought that title belonged to Asia Argento."
Gabriel smiled affectionately, her blue eyes sparkling mischievously. "Asia is incredibly important too, of course," she said gently. "But your Sacred Gear and your… unique status have made you Heaven’s highest priority to keep safe."
I definitely wasn’t expecting a declaration like that.
I stood frozen, my brain still spinning from Gabriel’s sudden claim that I was Heaven’s highest priority.
Honestly, it was a lot to process. I was even more surprised by the fact that Gabriel still hadn’t let go of me yet—not that I was complaining. Her soft body pressing against my back felt way too good to protest.
Sairaorg recovered his composure first, clearing his throat quietly.
His voice was calm and firm, but I could still detect the hint of awkwardness beneath his polite tone. "Gabriel, please understand—Valerie isn’t even a member of Heaven. Despite having a Sacred Gear, she’s a Dhampir working with the human organization Hellsing. You hold no actual authority over what she can and can't do."
He was totally right, of course. I glanced sideways at Gabriel and gave a small shrug. "He’s got a point, you know. I'm not one of your people…"
Gabriel let out a soft, irritated huff right by my ear, making me shiver slightly from the warmth of her breath. Instead of releasing me, she tightened her grip around my waist. "I’m well aware of that, Valerie," she murmured stubbornly. "But I’m simply trying to keep you safe!"
Kuisha interrupted us all again, stepping forward decisively with her eyes brightening in sudden inspiration. "Actually, Lady Gabriel—perhaps we can turn this unexpected situation into an opportunity?"
Curious, I tilted my head slightly. "What do you mean, Kuisha?"
Her gaze flickering respectfully between me and Gabriel. "If Gabriel is this concerned, perhaps she should accompany you directly into the Underworld."
Gabriel’s arms stiffened slightly around my waist, clearly taken off guard by Kuisha’s suggestion. "Accompany her to the Underworld?"
Kuisha nodded quickly, her voice growing more confident. "Exactly. We can officially announce your visit to the Underworld as a diplomatic gesture from Heaven. Gabriel’s presence would naturally draw attention, and Valerie's involvement can remain hidden under that cover."
Sairaorg quickly caught on, nodding eagerly in agreement. "Yes—once my mother is healed, Gabriel can publicly take credit. It would improve diplomatic relations between angels and devils, particularly now, as we’re already on the verge of peace talks."
Gabriel sighed softly behind me. "That’s true," she finally agreed somewhat begrudgingly. "However," she added firmly, "I want to make it very clear—I will not allow Valerie to become some sort of healer-on-demand for devils. Many of the devils afflicted with sleeping sickness are older devils who took part in terrible atrocities during the Great War. They’re far different from your younger generation."
Kuisha and Sairaorg nodded quickly, accepting her condition without hesitation.
Sairaorg’s expression softened visibly when he spoke again, his voice gentle. "I completely agree. But please understand—my mother is nothing like that. She is kind and gentle, and she never once participated in any aspect of the war."
Watching the three of them carefully, I couldn’t help but smile a bit in amusement. Here they were—two devils and a beautiful angel—busily making plans for me, yet somehow managing to overlook the most important detail.
My opinion!
I cleared my throat pointedly, drawing their attention back to me. "This is all fine," I began smoothly, flashing a sharp, toothy grin. "I don't mind going along with this plan—provided that my involvement stays completely secret. But there's one more thing you all forgot."
Kuisha blinked, looking slightly puzzled. "And what’s that?"
I chuckled lightly. "What exactly do I get out of this? I’m willing to help pull off your miracle, sure—but if I'm going to risk myself and perform something incredible, I expect to get paid. And well, too." I paused, my playful smile softening slightly. "Of course, seeing my little brother Gasper again is also a top priority. But compensation still matters to me."
Sairaorg burst out laughing immediately, his violet eyes sparkling in amused understanding. "Ah, greed! Now that’s something I’m always happy to work with," he said cheerfully. "It's much easier for a devil to understand."
—
A couple minutes later, Sairaorg and Kuisha teleported back to the Underworld in a flash of magic.
Gabriel and I were left alone, standing quietly together on the empty beach.
Gabriel finally released her gentle hold on me, stepping back reluctantly. A small pout formed on her pretty lips. "You really shouldn't be dealing with devils, Valerie," she murmured softly, giving me a disapproving look.
I laughed softly. "Maybe not, but I definitely will if they keep offering me rewards like Sairaorg promised." My grin widened as I imagined the possibilities—money, favors, and especially the chance to see my little brother again. No way was I turning that down.
Gabriel sighed, shaking her head, but a gentle smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
I took advantage of the quiet moment to study her openly. My eyes slowly traveled down her gorgeous figure, lingering on the curves barely concealed by the pure white fabric of her toga.
Gabriel giggled softly, clearly noticing where my eyes had gone. She didn't seem to mind at all. "See something you like?" she asked sweetly.
My face warmed, but I smiled back shamelessly. "Maybe," I admitted. "Actually, Gabriel, why are you here anyway? I wasn't exactly expecting an angelic escort today."
Her playful expression shifted slightly, becoming more serious. "I heard about the attack on Hellsing," she replied gently. Her voice softened further, concern clear in her tone. "I came to check on you, Valerie. I needed to make sure you were safe."
My voice dropped slightly. "The attack was pretty bad," I admitted quietly. "A lot of good men died yesterday..."
Gabriel nodded solemnly, understanding lighting her gentle blue eyes. "I know," she said softly. "But rest assured, they'll be well taken care of when their souls reach Heaven. They fought bravely, and they'll find peace."
That was a thought I really wasn't ready to comprehend yet. Honestly, the entire idea of an afterlife—especially heaven—still felt surreal. So, I decided not to dwell on it and quickly changed the subject.
Glancing upward, I saw thick grey clouds slowly rolling in from the ocean, darkening the sky even more.
"Looks like rain," I said casually, nodding toward the approaching storm. "We should probably head back. I'm riding back to London." I turned and pointed at the sleek black motorcycle I'd borrowed from Selene. "Want to ride with me…? If you’re not too busy of course?"
Gabriel’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement, and I swear her golden halo even started glowing brighter. "A motorcycle?" she repeated eagerly, practically bouncing on her feet. "I've never ridden one before!"
"Well, there's a first time for everything, right?"
I walked over to the bike, swinging my leg gracefully over the seat.
Gabriel quickly followed, climbing behind me. Once again, her incredibly soft, warm body pressed snugly against my back. I felt my heart beat faster, a pleasant shiver traveling down my spine at the sensation. She wrapped her arms carefully around my waist, leaning closer. "Like this?" she asked, her voice a gentle whisper near my ear.
"Exactly like that," I replied, grinning. "Hold on tight, Gabriel."
The engine roared to life beneath us, the motorcycle humming powerfully. Gabriel tightened her embrace around me, holding on securely, and I felt another thrill rush through me.
With a smirk, I kicked off, accelerating down the road. Gabriel laughed joyfully behind me.
—
Gabriel sat quietly across from me in the small café.
I told Gabriel more details about what happened at Hellsing Manor—how the vampires, devils, and ghouls had attacked together. Then I mentioned the Nazis and watched her face twist into a clear look of disgust.
"Nazis," Gabriel muttered bitterly, setting her tea down sharply. "They're among the worst humans in history. Almost all of them went straight to Hell."
"Not exactly surprised," I replied.
"If you want, Valerie, I can go smite them right now," she offered seriously.
I glanced up from my plate, raising an eyebrow at her. "Do you even know where they are?"
“Not yet…” Gabriel closed her eyes slowly…
A strange shiver ran down my spine as something shifted subtly in the air around us. It only lasted a few seconds, but I definitely felt it.
She opened her eyes again and they were faintly glowing golden. "I can't find them," she said quietly, a pout forming on her lips. "They must be magically hidden somehow." With a small, frustrated huff, she took a forceful bite of her cake.
I couldn’t help smiling softly at her reaction. "Yeah, I figured it wouldn't be that easy," I said quietly, leaning back in my chair.
Before Gabriel could reply, a smooth, amused voice spoke up from right beside us. "Well, isn't this a quaint little outing you two are having?"
I jumped slightly in surprise and turned quickly to find Sylvana Gremory standing next to our table. Or should I say Lucifer?
She was just as striking as the last time I'd seen her. Her figure, wrapped snugly in a stylish black dress, rivaled even Gabriel’s impressive proportions.
Gabriel visibly stiffened, her eyes narrowing in annoyance. "What are you doing here, Lucifer?" she spat that name out with more vitriol than I'd ever heard from her…
Sylvana and Gabriel stood locked in a tense, silent stare. Watching them from my chair, I felt my stomach twist nervously.
Gabriel had managed to stay calm and polite with Sairaorg and Kuisha earlier, but clearly, Lucifer herself showing up was too much. The warmth and gentleness that normally filled Gabriel’s soft features had evaporated, replaced by barely concealed irritation. She was glaring daggers at Sylvana, who looked more amused than intimidated.
"I was just in the neighborhood," Sylvana said smoothly, her red lips curling into a playful smirk. "Thought I'd stop by and see how Valerie was doing, considering everything that happened with her organization yesterday…"
Was everybody in the supernatural world spying on Hellsing? Integra was not going to be happy to find that out…
”That's unnecessary," Gabriel said firmly. "I have things well under control and your presence is not warranted here."
Heh—she was politely telling Lucifer to fuck off…
Sylvana chuckled lightly, clearly not intimidated. Her eyes flicked toward me briefly. "I'm sure you do, Gabriel. But Valerie and I know each other—it's only natural I'd check in on her."
I blinked. Did we actually know each other? We'd literally met once.
But Lucifer was talking like we were close friends. My gaze bounced awkwardly between them, trying to gauge what exactly was happening here.
Was this some kind of supernatural territorial thing? Were they actually… fighting over me?
The thought sent warmth flooding into my cheeks.
Gabriel had definitely been acting interested earlier, hugging me like that on the beach, and now Sylvana Lucifer had casually shown up at our little… well, whatever this was supposed to be.
A date? Honestly, I had no clue.
As they stared each other down, tension thickened the air around us, heavy enough that every human customer suddenly bolted for the exit, even though it was pouring rain outside.
Even normal people’s instincts could sense the potential danger.
I glanced behind the café counter just in time to see the manager and baristas scurrying frantically out the back door. Great, even the staff had ditched us.
It was just Gabriel, Sylvana, and me left now. Sylvana grabbed a chair and sat down at the small table with us.
I guess she was just inviting herself…
“You alright, Valerie? No lasting harm from yesterday, I hope?"
I opened my mouth, but Gabriel spoke up first. "Valerie is perfectly fine," Gabriel declared firmly.
Sylvana’s smile widened slightly, her gaze sharpening with amusement as she tilted her head slightly. "Oh? Is that right, Gabriel? And what’s your relationship with the daughter of Dracula I wonder…?”
Gabriel’s pretty lips parted in shock at those words, her eyes widening noticeably. "D—Daughter?" she gasped softly, quickly turning her gaze toward me with confusion clouding her previously serene expression. "Valerie, you’re...?"
Wait, she really didn't know? Somehow, I’d figured Heaven’s intel was a bit more thorough.
Apparently not.
I watched Gabriel's brow furrow as she quietly muttered to herself, "I knew… Dracula… was connected to Hellsing, but I had no idea he had a daughter…" She seemed genuinely shaken by this new revelation, zoning out slightly as she processed the information.
Sylvana’s seductive smirk widened, sensing Gabriel's distraction and fully capitalizing on it.
Turning deliberately toward me, she tilted her chin down slightly, allowing a stray lock of crimson hair to frame her gorgeous face. "Anyway, Valerie Tepes," Sylvana began smoothly, her voice dripping with playful charm, "I came to London specifically to make sure you were safe after yesterday. And I’m very glad a beauty like you is alright. More importantly, the houses of Lucifer and Gremory have a proposal for you."
Everyone seemed eager for my services lately—but what exactly did one of the queens of Hell herself want from me?
I leaned forward slightly, raising an eyebrow in genuine interest. "Alright, Sylvana," I said slowly, polite but wary, "I'll bite. What exactly does Lucifer herself want from me?"
Sylvana’s smile shifted from playful to outright alluring as she leaned in even closer. Her face hovered just inches from mine, close enough that her faint scent—rich, tempting, and sinfully sweet—made my heart skip a beat.
"Let's get married!" she declared boldly.
My jaw dropped.
Was she serious right now!?
But before I could even form a coherent response, a powerful surge of holy energy erupted violently beside us.
Instinctively, Sylvana and I both sprang backwards, knocking our chairs away and stumbling onto our feet just in time to avoid the table exploding dramatically into a shower of shattered wood and porcelain.
Pure, blazing holy power radiated out from Gabriel’s trembling form. Her twelve angelic wings snapped wide open. "Absolutely not!" Gabriel declared fiercely. Her gaze locked furiously onto Sylvana. "If Valerie is going to marry anyone," she declared, "then it will be myself!"
“…”
Marriage!?
My brain completely shut down. Did she seriously say marriage?
Of course, Gabriel’s divine fury didn't harm me—I was fully immune thanks to my unique nature—but honestly, in that moment, I barely even registered it.
My mind was too busy spiraling, utterly overwhelmed by the absurdity of this situation.
Just earlier today, I'd been nervously contemplating whether or not to start actually calling the women I cared about in my life "girlfriends." Even that small step had felt huge.
Yet here I was, mere hours later, suddenly facing two more stunningly gorgeous, insanely powerful women—one literally from Heaven and the other from Hell—both passionately demanding I marry them?
Fuck, no!
Way, way too fast! My heart couldn't handle this insanity.
"I—uh," I stammered incoherently, my face burning hot with embarrassment and panic.
For a split second, the three of us just stood there in an awkward, tense triangle.
Nope, nope, absolutely not. This was way more drama than I was equipped to deal with today.
Without a word, I abruptly dissolved my physical form into a swirling cloud of bats, letting them scatter frantically toward the café’s rear exit….
Within moments, I flew swiftly through the back door into the rainy alleyway behind the café. I reformed quickly, gasping slightly as I stumbled back into my normal shape. I stood for a second beneath the heavy falling rain, catching my breath as I felt my cheeks still burning fiercely with embarrassment.
My life was ridiculous sometimes…
With a frustrated sigh, I summoned my larger, scarlet bat-like wings, feeling them unfurl from my back. I gave them a strong, steady flap, rising quickly above the buildings of London.
– Gabriel –
Gabriel gaped in stunned disbelief as Valerie literally turned into bats and fled from the café. The swarm darted frantically out the back exit, leaving Gabriel staring blankly at the now-empty space Valerie had occupied just moments ago.
What had just happened?
Had she come on too strong there?
…No, surely not.
Gabriel shook her head stubbornly, immediately trying to dismiss that troubling thought. It definitely wasn’t her fault Valerie panicked. Gabriel was being entirely reasonable—well, mostly reasonable. Admittedly, marriage was a slightly impulsive idea.
No, obviously this disaster was entirely the fault of the infuriatingly seductive redhead devil standing across from her! And Gabriel had thought Serafall was the most annoying Maou at this point! Clearly she was wrong.
At least Sylvana Lucifer had the grace to look somewhat sheepish. The crimson-haired devil rubbed one hand awkwardly through her long, fiery locks, the other hand resting casually on her hip as she glanced back at Gabriel, appearing mildly embarrassed.
"Huh," Sylvana mumbled softly, her tone oddly subdued compared to her earlier flirtation. "Well… that certainly didn't go how I thought it would." She paused for a moment. "I think maybe we scared her off..."
Gabriel stared at her flatly...
XXX
Comments
Ototsu_Yume
He might actually be disappointed that Val ran away and didn't just drag them both off to the bedroom as that seems like something he'd have done. 😅👍
RiceMan
More
Zero1zero1
Alucard is going to so proud!
