Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Have we made any progress?”
“我们有什么进展吗？”

The soldier Maxwell was addressing wasn’t able to disguise her anxiety. Even before she’d answered, Maxwell was sighing and slumping over his desk, his head cradled in his hands.
被麦克斯韦询问的士兵无法掩饰自己的焦虑。还没等她回答，麦克斯韦就已经叹着气瘫倒在办公桌上，双手抱住了头。

“Not a great deal,” the woman said, her gaze downcast. “We’re continuing to track the plague demons, but we’ve yet to locate the relics they’ve stolen, and our attacks are having minimal effect.”
“进展不大，”女兵低垂着眼帘回答，“我们仍在追踪那些瘟疫恶魔，但还没找到它们偷走的圣物，而且我们的攻击收效甚微。”

Anderson listened raptly to their conversation from his corner of Maxwell’s office. He was in the process of wrapping a wound on his ankle, which was healing slow through sheer exhaustion. The situation had escalated rapidly since the night he’d been called out to protect His Most Holy, and it'd been days since he’d last seen a bed. The pope was still alive, courtesy of Anderson's quick arrival, but most of the people guarding the pope had been ensnared by the plague in their efforts to protect him.
安德森在办公室角落里全神贯注地听着他们的对话。他正包扎着脚踝的伤口，由于过度疲惫，伤口愈合得异常缓慢。自从那夜他被紧急召去保护教宗阁下以来，事态迅速恶化，他已经好几天没沾过床铺了。多亏安德森及时赶到，教皇才得以幸存，但那些保护教皇的守卫们大多在抵御过程中染上了瘟疫。

From the office they were holed up in, one could see the hoard of mindless thralls that had been made of central Rome’s citizens. They were so concentrated at the entrance to Vatican City that it was impossible to leave through normal means. Unlike ghouls, the plague didn’t kill its victims, nor otherwise render them beyond help, so arranging a mass slaughter to clear the city wasn’t an option, and not being able to harm the thralls severely limited Iscariot’s capacity for action. They weren’t used to needing to tiptoe around civilians – and hostile ones, at that – in order to address a problem. Worst still, the thralls weren’t weak; they struck harder, moved faster, and had some degree of intelligence, which made them almost impossible to evade for the average soldier. It was only Anderson, with his ability to teleport great distances, that managed to venture close to the enemy without encountering any resistance from the thralls.
从他们藏身的办公室望去，可以看到罗马市中心市民化作的无意识奴仆大军。这些受感染者如此密集地聚集在梵蒂冈城入口处，以至于根本无法通过正常途径离开。与食尸鬼不同，这种瘟疫不会杀死受害者，也不会让他们彻底无药可救，因此组织大规模屠杀来清空城市并非可行方案。由于不能伤害这些奴仆，十三科的行动能力受到了极大限制——他们向来不习惯为了解决问题而在平民（更何况还是带有敌意的平民）周围束手束脚。更糟的是，这些奴仆并不弱小：他们攻击更猛、行动更快，还具备一定智力，使得普通士兵几乎不可能避开他们。唯有能进行远距离传送的安德森神父，才能在接近敌人时不遭遇任何奴仆的阻挠。

“I’m prepared to attack again with my men, if you permit it,” said Anderson, dropping his pant leg down over his ankle, obscuring the wound. It would be gone soon. “I’ve had them gather shields from local police stations. We’ll force them back so it won’t be me alone.”
"我已准备好再次率部出击，如果您允许的话。"安德森放下裤腿遮住脚踝的伤口说道，那处伤很快就会愈合，"我让他们从当地警局搜集了防暴盾牌。我们会强行推进，这样就不必让我单独行动。"

“What difference would it make?” said Maxwell. “You’re our best soldier and he was able to repel you. I don’t think extra numbers would make much difference.”
"有什么区别呢？"马克斯韦尔反问，"你是我们最精锐的战士，而他都能击退你。我不认为增加人手能改变什么。"

“I have faith in my students’ ability to help me with this.” Anderson stepped closer, undeterred by Maxwell’s comments. “We have to do something, Maxwell, and lacking access to our relics, I don’t see what other options we have.”
"我相信我的学生们能协助我完成这项任务。"安德森不为所动地向前一步，"我们必须采取行动，马克斯韦尔。在无法使用圣物的情况下，我看不出还有其他选择。"

Maxwell ran a hand down his face, exhaustion etched into every line. He, too, had been awake for several days, and he didn’t have Anderson’s regenerative ability to help him through the sleep deprivation. “If we just had the damn nail, then maybe...” He ran his fingers up through his hair, making a mess of it. “This is your fault, you know. You had the opportunity to ensure the safety of the relics and you screwed it up.”
马克斯韦尔用手抹了把脸，每道皱纹里都刻着疲惫。他也已经好几天没合眼了，而且不像安德森那样拥有再生能力来对抗睡眠不足。"要是我们拿到了那该死的钉子，也许......"他用手指胡乱抓挠着头发，把发型弄得一团糟。"这都是你的错，明白吗？你本有机会确保圣物的安全，却搞砸了。"

Anderson pursed his lips. “None of us knew they were after those. We were busy protecting the pope.”
安德森抿紧了嘴唇。"我们谁都不知道他们的目标是那些东西。当时我们正忙着保护教皇。"

“A lot of good that’s done us!” Maxwell cried.
"那可真是帮了大忙啊！"马克斯韦尔喊道。

“Hold your tongue,” Anderson snarled. “You may be my superior, but I won’t have you demeaning the importance of His Most Holy!”
"管好你的舌头，"安德森厉声道。"你或许是我的上级，但我不允许你贬低至圣教皇的重要性。"

“Oh, don't you dare father me,” Maxwell snapped back. The other people in the room exchanged discomfited looks, though none appeared to want to step in and remind them of the urgency of the situation. “I know you wouldn’t speak with such insolence to someone in this position you hadn’t had a hand in raising. I wasn’t demeaning the importance of the pope, in any case. I was criticising you for your failings!”
“哦，你少在这跟我摆父亲架子，”麦克斯韦厉声回击。房间里其他人交换着不安的眼神，但似乎没人想介入提醒他们当前事态的紧迫性。“我知道你不会对非你亲手栽培的同等地位者如此无礼。我从未贬低教皇的重要性，我只是在指责你的失职！”

Anderson’s jaw involuntarily tightened. It wasn’t unheard of for Maxwell to criticise him; he’d done so after their last discussion of treaty terms with Hellsing, during which he and Alucard had gotten into a brawl, but it was the first he’d yelled at Anderson in front of other people, and the first he’d been so unreasonable about his demands.
安德森的下颌不自觉地绷紧。麦克斯韦批评他并非头一遭——上次与 Hellsing 谈判条约条款后，在他和阿尔卡特大打出手时对方就曾指责过他——但这是麦克斯韦首次当众对他咆哮，也是首次如此蛮不讲理地提出要求。

“You weren’t aware of what they were after either.”
“你当时同样不清楚他们的真实意图。”

“It wasn’t my job,” said Maxwell.
“那不是我的职责所在，”麦克斯韦说道。

"It wasn't my job either!" he said. "It was the intels job, and I still wouldn't blame them for this."
"这也不是我的职责！"他说道，"这是情报部门的活儿，即便如此我也不会为此责怪他们。"

"You should have realised," Maxwell insisted.
"你早该意识到这点，"麦克斯韦坚持道。

“Fine,” Anderson snarled, throwing up his hands. He could see no amount of reasoning was going to get through Maxwell's obstinance. “If you’re so inclined, you can file an official punishment for me later for not instinctively knowing the job I was assigned to wasn’t my only concern. Until then, we have more pressing things to concern ourselves with, Your Excellency Maxwell.”
"行啊，"安德森咆哮着举起双手，他明白任何道理都无法穿透麦克斯韦的固执。"既然您这么坚持，大可以事后正式处分我——就因为我没能凭直觉意识到被指派的任务并非唯一要务。在那之前，我们还有更紧迫的事要处理，麦克斯韦阁下。"

Though it was used contemptuously, Maxwell seemed mollified by the use of his title. They were rarely so formal with each other. "I’ll be sure to do that. For your insolence, primarily, so don’t get clever about it, Anderson.”
尽管这个称呼充满轻蔑，麦克斯韦却似乎因头衔的使用而缓和了态度。他们之间鲜少如此正式。"我肯定会这么做的。主要是惩戒你的无礼，安德森，所以别自作聪明。"

He didn’t get clever, as requested, but he did cast Maxwell a dry look before retreating back to his corner. He’d barely dropped into his chair before familiar red-clad arms emerging from the wall compelled him to leap back up, bayonets slipping smoothly into each hand. Next came Alucard's head, torso, and loosely-held guns, and it was only Integra slamming her way into the room a moment later that prevented Anderson from engaging Alucard in battle.
他并未如人所愿变得机灵些，只是朝马克斯韦尔投去冷淡的一瞥，便退回角落。刚跌坐进椅子，熟悉的猩红袖管便从墙里探出，迫使他瞬间弹起，双刃刺刀流畅地滑入掌心。紧接着是阿卡多的头颅、躯干，以及松松垮垮握着的枪械——若非因特古拉下一秒破门而入，安德森早已与阿卡多战作一团。

Alucard was grinning, but it was a vigour Anderson didn’t share. It was hard to enjoy the presence of one's nemesis when your country was in danger of becoming a hotbed of demons and thralls.
阿尔卡德咧嘴笑着，但安德森并未感染到这份活力。当你的国家正面临沦为恶魔与奴仆温床的危机时，实在很难享受与宿敌共处一室的"乐趣"。

“If your little spat has finished, we need to talk,” said Integra, exuding such command that none of the soldiers dared prevent her from approaching Maxwell’s desk.
"如果你们的小打小闹结束了，我们需要谈谈，"因特古拉说道，她散发出的威严让士兵们都不敢阻拦她靠近马克斯韦尔的办公桌。

“How did you get in here?” asked Maxwell, stunned. “We’ve blocked every entrance!”
"你是怎么进来的？"马克斯韦尔震惊地问道，"我们封锁了所有入口！"

“You can’t block the skies,” said Integra. “We’ve used one of you roofs as a landing pad. None were particularly suitable, but any damage will be paid for at a later date.”
“你挡不住天空的，”因特古拉说道。“我们已经征用了你们的一处屋顶作为停机坪。虽然都不太合适，但造成的任何损失我们日后都会赔偿。”

Maxwell spluttered. “Damage-!?”
麦克斯韦结结巴巴地说。"损——！？"

“You’re facing the same problem as us,” Integra pressed on, speaking over Maxwell’s spluttering. Anderson couldn’t help but admire that tenacity. “And they’re going to converge, shortly, unless we do something about it.”
“你们和我们面临着同样的问题，”因特古拉不顾马克斯韦尔的结巴抗议继续说道，安德森不禁钦佩她这种坚韧。“除非我们采取行动，否则事态很快就会失控。”

“He’s reached England?” What little of Maxwell’s face had been spared stress lines became engulfed in them. “I take it your Alucard hasn’t had any luck, then?” he asked, casting his eye over the vampire. Anderson did the same, regarding Alucard with suspicion.
“他已经到英格兰了？”马克斯威尔脸上本就不多的平静区域此刻也爬满了皱纹。“看来你的阿卡多也没能得手？”他问道，目光扫过吸血鬼。安德森同样以怀疑的眼神审视着阿卡多。

At his stare, the vampire lowered his glasses, fluttered his lashes, and curled a lip, which Anderson hadn’t the faintest idea what to make of.
面对他的凝视，吸血鬼推下眼镜，睫毛轻颤，嘴角微扬，而安德森完全摸不透这表情的含义。

“You know the answer to that, Maxwell. I wouldn’t be in this place of my own volition, and you would have at least tried to kick me out by now if you weren’t facing a similar predicament.” Integra came to a stop before his desk and crossed her arms. “And it isn’t he. It’s she.”
"你心知肚明，马克斯韦尔。若非身不由己，我绝不会踏入此地；而若非同样处境艰难，你早该试图将我驱逐出去了。"英特格拉在他办公桌前停住脚步，双臂交叠。"而且不是'他'，是'她'。"

Maxwell gave a derisive scoff. “Our informants were clear on the gender. We even have photos.”
马克斯威尔轻蔑地嗤笑一声。"我们的线人明确说了性别。我们甚至还有照片。"

“There’s two of them is what I’m saying, Maxwell," said Integra, exasperated. "One here, one in England.”
“我是说有两个，马克斯韦尔，”因特古拉恼火地说道，“一个在这儿，一个在英格兰。”

A palpable hopelessness spread throughout the room. They’d been struggling to deal with one plague demon, and now there were two rampaging across Europe? They didn't even fully understand what ‘them’ was. Not a vampire, that was for sure, but most definitely aligned with hell, and this wasn't much help in narrowing their race down given humanities limited exposure to the contents of hell. For what they were doing, Iscariot had decided to categorising them as ‘demons’, but they didn't know if that was what they really were.
一种明显的绝望感在房间里蔓延。他们连对付一个瘟疫恶魔都焦头烂额，现在竟有两个在欧洲肆虐？他们甚至没完全搞清“它们”究竟是什么。肯定不是吸血鬼，但绝对与地狱有关——鉴于人类对地狱生物的认知有限，这条信息对锁定它们的种族毫无帮助。为方便行动，伊斯卡利奥暂且将其归类为“恶魔”，但没人知道这称呼是否准确。

If Maxwell’s hair hadn’t already been silver he probably would have started sprouting grey hairs before their very eyes.
如果马克斯威尔的头发原本不是银白色，恐怕此刻他早已在他们眼前冒出缕缕灰发了。

“What,” he said slowly. “Did you mean by ‘converge’?”
“什么，”他缓缓说道。“你说的‘交汇’是什么意思？”

Integra glanced out the window, at the writhing mass of thralls below. “They’re going to consolidate their power through a union. They’ll- get married, in a manner of speaking.”
英格拉望向窗外，看着下方蠕动着的奴仆群。"他们打算通过联姻来巩固权力。他们会——某种意义上来说——结婚。"

Maxwell frowned. “Get married...?”
麦克斯韦皱起眉头。"结婚……？"

“In a manner of speaking,” Integra repeated. “The customs won’t be the same as human ones, obviously. They’ll have greater power and a further reach with their abilities once they’ve combined them.”
"从某种意义上说，"因特古拉重复道。"这些习俗显然与人类的不同。一旦他们结合了能力，将拥有更强大的力量和更深远的影响范围。"

“How far?” asked Maxwell, voice breathless with apprehension. “Across both England and Italy? Further?”
"范围有多大？"马克斯韦尔问道，声音因忧虑而急促。"能覆盖英格兰和意大利两地吗？还是更远？"

Integra spoke her answer plainly. “They could overtake the entirety of Europe in a few weeks.”
英格拉直截了当地回答："他们能在几周内席卷整个欧洲。"

Anderson very nearly swore, holding his tongue only because of their location. One couldn’t speak obscenities in the holy city. Apparently Maxwell didn’t share this sentiment, as he heard the man muttering something scathing under his breath before he stood from his seat.
安德森差点破口大骂，只因身处圣地才强忍住了脏话。在这座圣城里可不能口出秽言。显然马克斯韦尔并无此顾忌，他听见那人在起身时低声咒骂了句刻薄话。

“If you’re here, there must be a reason for it,” he said, his voice harried. “If you have a solution, out with it. We’re clearly working on a time limit.”
“你既然来了，就一定有原因，”他匆忙说道，“要是有解决办法就快说。我们显然时间紧迫。”

While Integra appeared none too happy with Maxwell’s impertinence, she still answered. “A union.”
虽然因特古拉对马克斯韦尔的放肆显得不太高兴，但她还是回答了。"一个联盟。"

“Yes,” said Maxwell, face pinched with distress. “You’ve already made that clear! We’re covering how to stop it now!”
“是的，”马克斯韦尔说道，脸上写满了痛苦。“你已经说得很清楚了！我们现在讨论的是如何阻止它！”

“Not theirs,” said Integra, irate. “Ours.”
"不是他们的，" 因特古拉恼怒地说，"是我们的。"

“Ours?”  "我们的？"

Integra glanced over her shoulder, her gaze flittering between Anderson and Alucard.
英格拉回头瞥了一眼，目光在安德森与阿卡德之间游移不定。

“A union between two others of great power.”
“两位强大存在之间的结合。”

Alucard’s sudden burst of laughter gave Anderson a profound sense of foreboding.
阿尔卡德突如其来的大笑让安德森感到一阵强烈的不安。

Anderson agreed to the wedding. He agreed to it unhappily and reluctantly, but he agreed to it. Someone had to wed in place of their enemies, and it only made sense that he and Alucard be the ones to consolidate their power.
安德森同意了这场婚礼。他满心不情愿地答应了，但终究还是点了头。总得有人代替他们的敌人完成这场联姻，而由他和阿尔卡特来巩固双方势力，实在是再合理不过的安排。

But putting them in wedding gowns felt a bit much.
但让他们穿上婚纱感觉有点过了。

“It needs to feel legitimate,” Integra explained, which was exactly what Anderson didn’t want to hear. He didn’t want to think of his union with his nemesis as legitimate. He wanted to do it, defeat their enemies, and forget it ever happened, which was looking increasingly like an outcome he wouldn’t get.
"这需要显得正式，"因特古拉解释道，而这正是安德森最不想听到的。他不想把自己与死敌的结合看作正当之事。他只想完成仪式，击败敌人，然后彻底遗忘——现在看来，这个愿望越来越难以实现了。

The outfit he was swathed in was long and white and had gold trimmings. It wasn’t unlike a chasuble, just thinner, longer, and with more floral patterns rather than religious symbolism. It thinned out further towards the ends, which undulated like waves with each movement – pretty, but Anderson was in no position to appreciate that. It was a small consolation that he didn’t end up having to wear a wedding veil as well.
他裹着的那件长袍洁白如雪，金线镶边。形制近似于十字褡，只是更为轻薄修长，繁复的花纹取代了宗教符号。衣摆处渐次收窄，随着动作如浪起伏——虽美不胜收，安德森却无暇欣赏。唯一值得庆幸的是，他总算不必再戴新娘头纱。

Being that he clothed himself in his shadows, Alucard got to choose his own outfit. He had to make it just as extravagant as Anderson’s, the sort of thing that drew one's eye, but he got to choose both his colours and his style and so ended up with something more akin to what a medieval suitor would wear. Lots of black and red, some furbelow. A rather handsome two-piece suit, which Anderson would have preferred himself had they the time to arrange something better. But they didn’t, so it was the gown he ended up heading into the city with.
既然能随心所欲地裹挟阴影着装，阿尔卡特便为自己挑选了一套行头。这身装束必须像安德森那件般华丽夺目，但他可以自主选择配色与款式，最终倒更似中世纪求爱者的装扮——大量黑红交织的纹饰，层层叠叠的荷叶边。那本是套相当俊朗的两件式礼服，若时间充裕，安德森自己也会倾向这般打扮。可惜时不我待，最终他只能披着那袭长袍踏入城中。

They wore cloaks to obscure their clothes. They didn't want to give their opponents too much of a heads up, least they decide to fast-track the union.
他们披着斗篷以遮掩衣着。不想给对手太多预警，以免对方决定加速推进联合。

“Don’t kill any civilians,” said Anderson as they neared their destination.
"别杀任何平民，"安德森在他们接近目的地时说道。

“You said that before we left,” Alucard reminded him.
“出发前你就说过这话。”阿卡德提醒道。

“It bears repeating. I know what you’re like, vampire.”
“值得再说一遍。我清楚你的德性，吸血鬼。”

Alucard quirked a lip, reaching into the folds of his cloak to withdraw a gun. “Considering we’re about to get married, I should hope so. I wouldn’t want my fiancé to be ignorant of the kind of man I am.”
阿卡德嘴角微扬，从斗篷褶皱中抽出一把枪。"考虑到我们即将结婚，我希望如此。我可不想让未婚妻对我是什么样的人一无所知。"

“You’re using those terms to annoy me,” said Anderson, angry red rising on his cheeks.
“你故意用这些词来气我，”安德森说道，脸颊因愤怒而泛红。

“You really do know me so well!”
“你真是太了解我了！”

If they had time following the ceremony and battle, Anderson was going to throttle Alucard.
倘若仪式与战斗结束后还有时间，安德森非得掐死阿卡多不可。

Their conversation ceased as they ascended the steps into Florence Cathedral. It was a wedding venue most could only ever dream of, and here he was about to get married within its stunning, intricately decorated walls. To his damned nemesis, of all people, so the beauty couldn’t have been more wasted.
他们拾级而上步入佛罗伦萨大教堂时，谈话戛然而止。这座绝大多数人只能梦寐以求的婚礼殿堂，此刻他即将在那装饰华美得令人窒息的穹顶下缔结婚约——偏偏是和他命中注定的死敌，这般美景简直暴殄天物。

Their opponents had taken liberal advantage of the space provided by the Cathedral by filling it with their thralls. Beyond the mass of restlessly moving bodies, a man and a woman were clasped tight together and speaking sweet nothings into each other's ears, the display so tender and sincere that it was startling to witness. Slick black shadows rose up about their feet, running together, intertwining, and then collapsing in on themselves. Anderson took the sight to mean they weren’t far off completing the wedding. A few minutes later and they might not have been able to stop them.
对手们充分利用了大教堂提供的空间，将其塞满了他们的奴仆。在那群躁动不安的身影之外，一对男女紧紧相拥，在彼此耳畔低语着甜蜜情话，那画面如此温柔真挚，令人惊诧。黏稠的黑色阴影自他们脚边升腾，相互交融缠绕，又坍缩回本体。安德森将这景象视作婚礼即将完成的征兆。若再晚几分钟，恐怕就无人能阻止他们了。

Upon seeing them, the man withdrew a sword from a sheath attached to his belt and smiled wide and wild. The woman was quick to follow his example, turning the shadows encircling them solid and shaping them into a series of jagged points. Neither seemed troubled by the interruption. Probably found the whole arrangement enjoyable, like a pre-wedding party.
男人一见他们，便从腰间鞘中抽出一柄长剑，嘴角咧开狂野的笑容。女人迅速效仿，将环绕周身的阴影凝为实体，化作一排参差尖刺。两人对这场打扰毫不在意，反倒像是乐在其中——活像婚礼前的狂欢派对。

The man's long blond hair whipped about him as he strode toward Anderson and the candles encircling the altar flickered at his departure. Those seemed to be an element of the union. They would have to be careful not to knock them over, but Anderson didn’t get the opportunity to warn Alucard before the man was upon him.
男人金色的长发在行进中飞扬，当他大步走向安德森时，环绕祭坛的蜡烛因他的离去而摇曳闪烁。这些烛火似乎是缔结仪式的要素。他们必须小心避免碰倒烛台，但安德森还没来得及警告阿卡德，对方就已逼至眼前。

“You return, human,” said the beast, driving him away from Alucard with a swing of his sword. Despite the lack of wind in the cathedral, his coattails fluttered behind him as though caught by a breeze. “If you want to play this game again before my wedding, that’s fine by me. I’ll be pleased to have you among my attending thralls!”
"你又回来了，人类，"那野兽说着，挥剑将他从阿卡德身边逼退。尽管大教堂内并无气流，他的衣摆却在身后翻飞，仿佛被微风撩动。"若你想在我婚礼前再玩这场游戏，我乐意奉陪。很荣幸能将你纳入我的奴仆行列！"

“I didn’t realise I’d made such an impression, freak!” He sent a barrage of bayonets at him before quickly glancing across the cathedral to watch Alucard approach the altar. His steps were slow and languid, far too casual. He didn't seem to be taking this serious at all. But then, that was standard behaviour for the man.
“没想到我给你留下这么深刻的印象啊，怪胎！”他朝对方射出一连串刺刀，同时迅速扫视大教堂，看着阿卡德缓步走向祭坛。那人的步伐慵懒而散漫，显得过分随意，似乎根本没把这场战斗当回事。不过，这倒很符合他的一贯作风。

During his periodic glances, Anderson noticed the woman didn’t leave the circle of candles, instead sending a wave of jagged shadows at Alucard and slamming him into a set of pews, snapping one in half. Anderson grimaced at the damage inflicted on such beautiful constructs.
安德森在间歇性的扫视中注意到，那个女人始终没有离开蜡烛圈的范围，反而朝阿尔卡特释放出一道锯齿状的阴影波，将他重重砸进一排长椅，其中一张长椅应声断裂。看着这些精美构造物遭受破坏，安德森不由得皱起眉头。

The sword grazed his clavicle, cutting at an angle, and Anderson just barely managed to avoid damage to his gown. As much as he disliked it, he wouldn’t reduce their chances of success by letting his gown get torn apart. Integra wouldn’t have put him in it were it not an essential element (or he hoped so, anyway). He took care to keep several feet between him and the demon as he advanced on the circle of candles, keeping one eye on Alucard’s battle. Or his struggle, rather, as Alucard didn’t seem able to penetrate the circle. Those candles must form some sort of barrier.
长剑擦过他的锁骨，划出一道斜向伤口，安德森勉强保住了长袍的完好。尽管厌恶这身装束，但他不能让长袍被撕碎而降低任务成功率——既然因特古拉让他穿上这件衣服，想必是必要装备（至少他希望如此）。他谨慎地与恶魔保持数英尺距离，同时向蜡烛圈推进，余光始终关注着阿尔卡特的战况。确切地说，是阿尔卡特的困境，因为这位吸血鬼似乎无法突破蜡烛圈。那些蜡烛显然构成了某种结界。

They needed to get the girl to venture out, which meant a different tactic was necessary. 
他们需要让女孩主动走出来，这意味着必须采取不同的策略。

“Alucard!” he boomed. The woman glanced over at him, eyes narrowed, and turned her weapons fractionally toward him. “Alucard, get over here, strike him-!”
“阿卡德！”他高声吼道。女人斜睨了他一眼，微微眯起眼睛，将武器稍稍转向他。“阿卡德，过来，攻击他——！”

Before he’d even managed to finish his demand, Alucard had surged across the room to body slam the man into the ground, sending debris flying (and drawing a furious cry from Anderson, who wasn’t looking forward to explaining the hole in the floor to His Most Holy). As the demon rose up to strike back, Anderson sent a flurry of bayonets at him, catching him in the shoulder and chest, sending him dropping to the floor again. He wasn’t grievously injured, but he did appear pained by the assault.
阿尔卡特还未等对方把要求说完，就已如闪电般冲过房间，将那人狠狠撞倒在地，碎片四溅（这引来了安德森愤怒的吼叫——他可不想向至高圣座解释地板上这个破洞）。当恶魔挣扎起身反击时，安德森瞬间掷出连串刺刀，精准刺入其肩膀与胸膛，迫使对方再次重重摔落。虽未受致命伤，但显然这番攻击让他吃足了苦头。

“Playing dirty then, are we?” He caught himself on a pew, dragging himself upright. “Petunia, my darling. It's your turn.”
“要玩阴的是吧？”他撑住长椅稳住身形，挣扎着站起来。“佩妮，亲爱的。该你上场了。”

A roar erupted behind them. Anderson barely managed to turn in time to see a congregation of thralls and jagged shadows coming for him before Alucard was upon him, throwing himself over Anderson, covering him in thick, undulating shadows that took the brunt of the damage. Or he thought they did, anyway. He couldn't be sure, because it was dark and cold and the world beyond was muffled beyond intelligibility. This dark, vast space was what Alucard had inside him? He could see no end to it; maybe there wasn’t an end to it, and Anderson shivered to think of that.
一声怒吼在他们身后炸响。安德森勉强转身，只见一群奴仆与锯齿状的阴影正朝他扑来，而阿卡多已抢先一步压在他身上，用翻涌的浓稠阴影为他挡下大部分攻击——至少他认为是这样。黑暗与寒冷隔绝了外界的一切声响，模糊得无法辨识。这就是阿卡多体内的黑暗空间吗？安德森看不见尽头，或许本就没有尽头，这个念头让他打了个寒颤。

He’d managed to count to eight before Alucard rose up again, freeing him, and he registered with dull shock that they were within the circle of candles now. He hadn’t even felt them move.
他勉强数到八时，阿卡德再度起身松开了他。当迟钝的惊愕感袭来时，他才意识到他们已身处蜡烛圈内——他甚至没察觉到移动的过程。

“What the hell was that?” he asked in a hiss.
"那到底是什么鬼东西？"他压低声音嘶嘶地问道。

Alucard pulled him upright, turning him to face their glowering opponents. “It’s best you don’t know, priest.”
阿卡德将他拽直，让他面对那些怒目而视的对手。"你最好别知道，神父。"

Maybe he was right about that, but Anderson wanted to know all the same. He would ask at a later date, when they weren’t in the process of saving the world.
或许他是对的，但安德森依然想知道。他打算改天再问——等他们不用忙着拯救世界的时候。

Anderson straightened and grinned wide and pleased at the demons, who were prowling back and forth in search of a way in, muttering to each other in a soft, sibilant language that had little in common with any languages Anderson knew. A useful little feature, this circle. Anderson had been envisioning a very harried, mid-battle sort of wedding, but the circle ensured they could proceed without interruption.
安德森直起身子，对着那些恶魔咧嘴一笑，显得既得意又满足。那些恶魔正来回踱步寻找突破口，彼此间用某种轻柔嘶哑的语言低声交谈——这种语言与安德森所知的任何语系都鲜有共通之处。这个魔法阵倒是个实用的小玩意儿。他原本想象着会有一场在激战中仓促举行的婚礼，但这个法阵确保了仪式能够不受干扰地进行。

“Anderson,” said Alucard as he unlatched his cloak and let it slide off his shoulders. It disappeared before hitting the floor. “We can gloat once this is done. Take my hands.”
“安德森，”阿尔卡特解开斗篷扣环，任其从肩头滑落。斗篷还未触地便已消散无踪。“等一切结束后再庆祝也不迟。握住我的手。”

It was with some reluctance that he removed his cloak, but with visible pleasure that he threw it toward the man and woman, who hissed and snarled at his cheek. With that out of the way, he tentatively set his hands in Alucard’s and drew in a deep breath to prepare himself. Mentally and physically, since he needed to follow Alucard word for word if he wanted this to work.
他有些不情愿地脱下斗篷，却带着明显的愉悦将它朝那对男女掷去，引得对方对他放肆的举动发出嘶嘶怒斥。待障碍清除后，他试探性地将双手放入阿卡德掌心，深吸一口气做好准备——无论是精神还是肉体，因为他必须一字不差地遵循阿卡德的指示才能让仪式成功。

Alucard started to speak in that same, sibilant language as the demons. Each word came slow and elongated so Anderson was able to repeat them accurately, though he still found it difficult to enunciate certain words. It was maintaining eye contact that proved the most difficult part, though. These were such peculiar circumstances that he didn’t particularly want to look Alucard in the eye, but Alucard had emphasised the importance of – ugh – intimacy in the union, so he had little choice but to stare Alucard dead on even as his face began to warm and his palms became clammy.
阿卡多开始用与恶魔相同的嘶嘶声语言说话。每个词都缓慢而拖长，使得安德森能够准确复述，尽管某些词汇的发音仍让他感到困难。然而，最困难的部分是保持眼神接触。在如此诡异的境况下，他并不特别想直视阿卡多的眼睛，但阿卡多强调过——呃——亲密在结合中的重要性，因此他别无选择，只能直勾勾地盯着对方，即使脸颊开始发烫，掌心也变得汗湿。

Anderson had never so much as held hands with a woman in a romantic context. He’d been on the track to becoming a priest at fourteen and started seminary school at fifteen. He hadn't had the time, nor inclination to try a relationship, and now he was in his sixties and getting married to his nemesis. It was such a bizarre situation that he was shaken and flustered in a way he hadn’t been in years.
安德森从未以浪漫的方式牵过女人的手。他十四岁就踏上成为神父的道路，十五岁进入神学院。他既没有时间，也没有意愿尝试恋爱关系，如今六十多岁的他竟要与宿敌结婚。如此荒诞的境遇让他多年来首次感到心神不宁、手足无措。

The warm edge to Alucard’s smile wasn’t helping matters.
阿尔卡特嘴角那抹温暖的微笑让情况更加棘手了。

They spoke the last few words, fell silent, and Anderson glanced slowly about for some indication they’d done the union properly. Nothing had changed of their surroundings, and Anderson didn’t feel any different. Despite his best efforts, perhaps he hadn’t repeated the words well enough. It was a language with which he was entirely unfamiliar, so it wouldn’t have been surprising.
他们念完最后几个词，陷入沉默，安德森缓缓环顾四周，寻找任何表明他们正确完成仪式的迹象。周围环境毫无变化，安德森也没感到任何异样。尽管竭尽全力，或许他复述的咒语还不够准确。毕竟那是种他完全陌生的语言，出错也不足为奇。

“Again?” he asked with a faint grimace.
"再来一次？"他微微皱眉问道。

“No,” said Alucard, looking uncharacteristically sober. “You did well, priest. Better than I expected, even. We’re just not done.”
"不必，"阿尔卡特答道，神情罕见地肃穆，"你做得很好，神父。甚至超出我的预期。只是仪式尚未完成。"

Anderson slowly removed his hands from Alucard, crossing his arms. “Which means what?”
安德森缓缓将手从阿尔卡特身上移开，双臂交叉抱在胸前。"这意味着什么？"

“Which means-”  "这意味着——"

“You aren’t going to finish this,” announced the woman - Petunia - with pearls of laughter. “You aren’t going to finish! You want to hear why, padre?”
“你绝对喝不完的，”那女人——佩妮——咯咯笑着宣布道，笑声如珍珠般清脆。“你肯定喝不完！想知道为什么吗，神父？”

Anderson eyed Petunia with suspicion. “I won’t trust anything as foul mouth a mouth as yours has to say.”
安德森狐疑地盯着佩妮。“我可不会相信从你那张臭嘴里吐出来的任何话。”

“You two,” she pressed on, undeterred. “Need to consummate your union. Passionately, with genuine feeling, and I know what you priests are like about sex!” Her voice was brimming with glee. “I don’t think you even like each other. Am I right? Is your attempt just as hopeless as it looks?”
“你们两个，”她毫不气馁地继续施压，“需要完成你们的结合仪式。要充满激情，带着真挚感情，我可知道你们这些神父对性爱是什么态度！”她的声音洋溢着欢快。“我猜你们甚至不喜欢彼此。我说对了吗？你们的尝试是不是像看起来一样毫无希望？”

Anderson covered his colouring face with a hand before turning back to Alucard. “She’s lying, isn’t she?” he asked, voice desperately hopeful. Needless to say, he wasn’t enthused with the idea of having sex with a vampire, in a cathedral, before an audience of demons and hundreds of thralls. He’d never considered what he’d like for a first time, because he’d never intended to have a first time, but he knew this was perhaps the worst possible circumstances under which he could lose his virginity.
安德森用一只手捂住发烫的脸，转向阿尔卡特。“她在撒谎，对吧？”他问道，声音里带着绝望的希冀。不用说，他对在教堂里、在恶魔和数百名奴仆围观下与吸血鬼交合这个主意毫无热情。他从未考虑过自己的第一次应该是什么样，因为他本不打算有第一次，但他知道这可能是失去童贞最糟糕的境况。

“She isn’t lying,” said Alucard, which was the answer Anderson had been anticipating but desperately hoping against. He buried his face further into his hand. “I'll make it pleasant, priest,” continued Alucard. “We can still finish this.”
“她没撒谎，”阿尔卡特的回答正如安德森所预料却又拼命抗拒的那样。神父把脸更深地埋进掌心。“我会让你舒服的，神父，”阿尔卡特继续道，“我们仍可以完成这件事。”

“We hate each other!” he snapped, much to the pleasure of the demons.
“我们恨透彼此了！”他厉声喝道，这句话让恶魔们听得心花怒放。

“And that’s passion,” said Alucard as he closed the space between them, slipping his hands to Anderson’s face, cradling it gently- too gently, like a lover, and Anderson had complicated feelings about that. “There is genuine feeling and passion already between us.”
"这就是激情，"阿卡德说着拉近两人距离，双手捧起安德森的脸庞，动作轻柔得反常——宛如对待恋人般小心翼翼，这让安德森心中泛起复杂的情绪。"我们之间早已存在真挚的情感和炽热的激情。"

“And if it doesn’t work,” said Anderson. “I’ll have had sex with you for no reason.”
“要是这招不管用，”安德森说，“那我跟你上床可就白忙活了。”

“Is that such a bad thing?” asked Alucard with a growing smile.
"这有什么不好吗？"阿卡德微笑着问道，嘴角的弧度逐渐扩大。

Anderson scoffed and took a deep breath, steeling himself. He wasn't about to prioritise his comfort over the well-being of billions. “What do we need to do, then? Do I need to, or do- do you-?”
安德森嗤之以鼻，深吸一口气让自己镇定下来。他绝不会把自己的舒适置于数十亿人的福祉之上。"那我们需要做什么？是我需要，还是说——你——？"

“I’m at the forefront of this, so I need to fuck you,” said Alucard simply.
"我站在最前线，所以我需要操你，"阿卡德直截了当地说。

“We couldn’t just do something with our hands...?”
"我们就不能用手做点什么......？"

Alucard snorted. “You don’t even have a specific thing in mind for what we could do with our hands? No, priest.”
阿卡德哼了一声。"你连用手具体能做些什么都没想好？不行，神父。"

Anderson's cheeks coloured even further. He was right, though; he didn't have a specific thing in mind. “Oh, shut up.” There seemed little else they could do, so he undid his pants, hitched his gown up high above his thighs, and gestured Alucard closer. “Get on with it before I change my mind.”
安德森的脸颊更红了。他说得没错，自己确实没想好具体要做什么。"闭嘴。"似乎别无选择，他解开裤链，将长袍高高撩到大腿根部，示意阿尔卡特靠近。"趁我还没改变主意，快点。"

The curl of long fingers around his waist made Anderson jump, but he remained determined, even pressed back when Alucard pulled him toward his crotch. He tried not to think too hard about the fact they had an audience, instead focusing his attention on Alucard and what the man was doing behind him. The shift of his fingers against his skin, the bulge pressed against the clef of his ass, the sound of a zipper being drawn down. 
修长手指环住腰际的触感让安德森浑身一颤，但他依然坚定，甚至在阿尔卡特拉向自己胯部时主动后靠。他竭力不去想还有观众在场，只专注于身后吸血鬼的动作——游走在肌肤上的指尖，抵在臀缝间的硬物，以及拉链滑下的声响。

“We don’t have any lubrication except spit,” said Alucard as he pressed the hot curve of his cock against Anderson’s entrance. Anderson swallowed thickly at its solid presence. It was hard to imagine that fitting comfortably inside him. “This will hurt.”
"除了唾液没有润滑剂。"阿尔卡特将灼热的性器抵上入口时说道。感受到那骇人的存在感，安德森艰难地咽了咽口水，实在难以想象这东西能舒服地进入体内。"会疼的。"

“I can take bullets, so I can take this.” He didn’t much care if it hurt. That would give him something other than general mortification to focus on.
“子弹我都能扛，这个算什么。”他并不太在意疼痛。至少这能让他分心，不必全神贯注于当下的屈辱。

A cool slickness dripped down between his ass cheeks, sliding over his entrance before a finger pressed the slick smoothly into him. He tensed at the intrusion. Entirely involuntary, and he was grateful when Alucard waited for him to relax before pushing his finger in right up to the knuckle. Just that one finger felt like so much. He wasn’t sure how such a small space was going to accommodate an entire cock.
冰凉的黏液顺着他的臀缝滑下，在穴口徘徊片刻后，一根手指蘸着黏液缓缓推入。异物侵入的瞬间他绷紧了身体。这完全是本能反应，而当阿卡德等他放松后才将整根手指没入至指关节时，他心怀感激。仅仅一根手指就让他觉得饱胀不堪。他实在难以想象这般狭小的空间该如何容纳整根阴茎。

Alucard leaned down, lips cool against the nape of Anderson’s neck. “Relax, or it’s going to be unpleasant for both of us.”
阿卡德俯身，冰冷的唇贴上安德森的后颈。“放松，否则对我们都不会愉快。”

That was a lot to ask of a priest about to be fucked by a vampire in front of hundreds of gawking thralls (would they remember seeing this? He hoped not). He set his hands on his knees and tried to unwind his muscles so Alucard could proceed without too much difficulty. The man began pressing idle kisses across all visible skin, which was surprisingly helpful. Anderson always had enjoyed affection, and the fact he got it so rarely meant he tended to melt when it was received.
这要求对一位即将在数百名呆视的食尸鬼面前被吸血鬼操干的神父而言实在过分（他们会记得这一幕吗？但愿不会）。他将双手按在膝头，试着放松肌肉好让阿卡德顺利继续。对方开始漫不经心地亲吻所有裸露的肌肤，这招出奇地有效。安德森向来贪恋温存，正因罕得获得，每次被温柔相待时总会轻易沦陷。

More spit was added and an additional finger slipped in beside the first, further slickening up his insides. The stretch of them was forgotten when those fingers roved over a sensitive bundle of nerves Anderson had quite forgotten existed. They created a pleasant tickle, at first, but it grew so rapidly into a surging pleasure that Anderson had to grab onto the altar to steady himself. His fingers turned white knuckled around the marble and his thighs shook as Alucard applied persistent stimulation. He couldn’t stop himself from moaning, an odd sound he hadn't even known he could make.
更多唾液被涂抹进来，第二根手指随之挤入第一根旁侧，将他内里搅得愈发湿滑。当那两根手指碾过安德森早已遗忘的敏感神经丛时，扩张的痛感瞬间被抛诸脑后。起初只是令人愉悦的酥痒，但快感急速攀升为汹涌浪潮，逼得安德森不得不抓住祭坛边缘稳住身形。他的指节在大理石上绷得发白，双腿在阿卡德持续的撩拨下颤抖不已。喉间溢出的呻吟陌生得连他自己都吃惊。

The demons were shouting something. He was only faintly aware of that as Alucard kissed and licked his neck and fucked him with his fingers. His cock was hanging hard between his legs, pre-come staining the front of his gown. If not for some lingering reservations about propriety he would have started stroking himself. Fortunately, Alucard had no such reservations, and he drew out his fingers to instead fist his hand around Anderson's cock. Anderson gasped and shook at the contact.
恶魔们正在叫嚷着什么。当阿卡德啃咬着他的脖颈同时用手指操弄他时，那些声音只如隔雾看花。他的阴茎硬挺地悬在腿间，前液已将长袍前襟染出深色。若非残存的礼教束缚，他早该抚慰起自己。好在阿卡德毫无顾忌，他抽出手指转而握住了安德森的性器。被触碰的瞬间，安德森战栗着倒抽一口气。

“Lean on the altar,” Alucard murmured into his ear, his free hand twisting into the back of Anderson’s gown to ensure he didn’t fall as he turned them. Anderson shakily complied with the order, lowering himself until one of his elbows was braced on the smooth, marble surface. He reached back with his free hand to grasp Alucard about the thigh, fingers trembling around a handful of his trousers.
"靠着祭坛。"阿卡德在他耳畔低语，空闲的那只手攥住安德森长袍后背，在转身时防止他跌倒。安德森颤抖着服从指令，手肘支在光滑的大理石台面缓缓俯身。他向后探出另一只手抓住阿卡德的大腿，颤抖的指节深深陷进对方裤料之中。

Anderson curled over him before guiding the head of his cock into Anderson. He was met with no resistance, which Anderson had all of a few seconds to be surprised by before a shallow thrust drew a cry from him. It should have been painful. It did ache a little, but it didn’t hurt, not the way he’d expected it to. Alucard’s cock gliding into him, filling him up and pressing at his prostate, just felt nice, like Alucard was slotting in exactly where he was meant to. When Alucard started into a steady rhythm, he was only vaguely aware of how much shouting, drooling and moaning he was doing. The stoking of his cock brought him to finish within a few minutes and the practised strokes to his prostate brought him to hardness again before he could catch his breath.
安德森俯身在他上方，引导着自己性器的顶端进入体内。出乎意料的是，他竟没有遇到丝毫阻力——这个认知只让安德森惊讶了几秒，随后一次浅顶就让他惊喘出声。这本该是疼痛的。确实有些酸胀，但远不如他预想中那般痛苦。阿卡德的阴茎滑入他体内，填满他，碾过前列腺的感觉竟如此美妙，仿佛那根器物天生就该嵌在这个位置。当阿卡德开始保持稳定节奏时，他只能模糊意识到自己发出了多少喊叫、涎水与呻吟。对方对他阴茎的抚弄让他在几分钟内就到达高潮，而对他前列腺老练的顶弄甚至没等他喘匀气，就再次让他硬了起来。

He’d sullied the cathedral floor. And he didn’t care.
他玷污了教堂的地板。而他毫不在意。

Releasing his engorged cock, Alucard’s hands curled instead around his wrists and wrenched him back into each snap of his hips. Anderson rocked on his toes, held up now only by Alucard. It was an effort to keep himself upright, overwrought as he was, but he wanted to take in as much as Alucard as he could, as deep as he could, so even as his legs shook he held himself in place. 
阿尔卡特松开肿胀的阴茎，转而用双手扣住他的手腕，每次挺腰都将他拽回自己怀中。安德森踮着脚尖摇晃，此刻全靠阿尔卡特支撑。尽管精疲力竭，他仍竭力保持直立，渴望尽可能多地接纳对方，尽可能深地承受——即使双腿颤抖不止，他依然固执地维持着这个姿势。

When the vampire growled in his ear and filled him with thick, sticky strings of come that slid down the insides of his thighs, it came as no surprise when he continued thrusting into Anderson. They needn’t have continued; they had more than fulfilled the terms of the union, but they wanted to. The candles surrounding them flickered and rose, and looking blearily past them Anderson could see Alucard’s shadows expanding and enveloping the room. Their audience of thralls crowed in distress and the demons looked wildly about. The exits had been covered. There was no escape for them now.
当吸血鬼在他耳边低吼，将浓稠黏腻的精液灌满他体内，顺着大腿内侧滑落时，安德森对持续侵入的动作毫不意外。他们本不必继续；结合仪式的条件早已超额完成，但他们渴望如此。四周烛火摇曳升腾，安德森朦胧的视线越过火光，看见阿卡德的阴影正在膨胀，吞噬了整个房间。作为观众的奴仆们发出惊恐的啼叫，恶魔们慌乱四顾。所有出口已被封死。此刻他们无处可逃。

“You missed your calling,” Alucard murmured, practically jack-hammering into Anderson now, the slap of flesh reverberating obscenely through the cathedral. “Who would have thought a priest could make such a fine slut.”
"你真是入错行了，"阿卡德低语道，此刻几乎像打桩机般撞击着安德森，肉体拍打声在教堂里淫靡地回荡着，"谁能想到一个神父能当这么个绝妙的荡妇。"

“Sh... shut...” With how dazed he was, he couldn’t find it within himself to finish his protest. And his newly discovered libido told him he didn’t much mind being a slut, anyway - something he would undoubtedly be embarrassed to remember later.
“闭...闭嘴...”他晕乎乎地抗议着，却连完整的话都说不出来。而新觉醒的欲望正告诉他，其实当个放荡之徒也没什么不好——这个认知日后回想起来定会让他羞耻得无地自容。

At some point he found himself draped over the altar with his ass raised high into the air and his chest skating across the marble. His gown had been pushed so far up his back that there was little hidden from their audience now, and his trousers and underthings had fallen down around his ankles. He’d come again; maybe twice, maybe three times, he wasn’t counting anymore, and when Alucard finally collapsed atop him he felt wonderfully full in some ways and empty in others. Alucard pressed an idle kiss to his shoulder as he lay atop him, otherwise motionless while he recovered his bearings.
不知何时，他发现自己正趴在祭坛上，臀部高高翘起，胸膛在大理石台面滑动。长袍被完全掀到后背，几乎将一切暴露在围观者眼前，裤装与底裤早已滑落至脚踝。他又高潮了——也许是两次，也许是三次，他早已记不清了。当阿尔卡特最终压在他身上时，他感到某种奇妙的充盈与空虚同时降临。吸血鬼漫不经心地在他肩头落下一吻，就这样静静压着他恢复神智。

“Do you feel it?” he asked, taking a needless breath.
“感觉到了吗？”阿尔卡特吐出一句多余的问话。

What ‘it’ Alucard was referring to became apparent when he registered a foreign power swelling within him. It didn’t feel quite right, not like the union had. It’d dug too deep into his private recesses, taken hold of his core, filled him to capacity, and Anderson was left with the distinct impression that all of this was permanent, simply something he would have to get used to. 
当陌生力量在体内膨胀时，那个“它”的含义终于昭然若揭。这感觉与先前的结合截然不同——它深深扎进灵魂最私密的角落，攫住核心，将他填满至极限。安德森清晰地意识到，这一切将成为永恒，是他余生必须适应的烙印。

When Anderson prepared to rise from the altar, Alucard stopped him with a hand at the small of his spine. He’d been prepared to tell him they hadn’t the time for another round when he felt Alucard’s cool tongue sliding up the inside of his thigh, cleaning away the seed there. With slow lathes of his tongue, he cleaned away every drop he'd spilt, applying himself so liberally to Anderson’s entrance that Anderson soon found his legs quaking again. When Alucard finally withdrew, Anderson wasn’t able to help a low whine.
当安德森准备从祭坛上起身时，阿卡德用手抵住他的后腰制止了他。神父正想告诉对方他们没时间再来一轮，却突然感受到那冰冷的舌头正沿着大腿内侧游走，舔舐着残留的体液。吸血鬼用缓慢的舔舐动作清理着每一滴溢出的液体，过分殷勤地侍弄着安德森的入口，很快又让神父的双腿开始颤抖。当阿卡德终于退开时，安德森忍不住发出一声低沉的呜咽。

“We came here for a job, priest,” Alucard reminded him, chuckling.
"我们可是来执行任务的，神父。"阿卡德轻笑着提醒道。

Anderson cast a grumpy look over his shoulder before pushing himself upright. “You did that on purpose and we both know it.”
安德森扭头投去一个恼怒的眼神，撑着手臂直起身子。"你绝对是故意的，我们心知肚明。"

Alucard didn’t say anything to that, merely slid the tips of his fingers fondly over Anderson’s nape before turning to their opponents. Or quarry, rather, as they were desperately scouring the room for an exit not blocked by Alucard’s shadows. They found none. There were none.
阿卡德对此不置可否，只是亲昵地用指尖抚过安德森的后颈，随即转向他们的对手——或者说猎物更贴切些，那些家伙正疯狂地在房间里寻找未被阿卡德阴影封锁的出口。但他们注定徒劳。这里根本没有生路。

Anderson smoothed down his gown and stepped beyond the candles, which went out as though caught by a harsh breeze. “Let's see how long it takes to turn these two into smears on the floor.”
安德森抚平长袍，跨过蜡烛阵，那些烛火仿佛被凛冽寒风吹熄般骤然熄灭。"让我们看看需要多久能把这两个家伙变成地板上的污渍。"

Once they’d consolidated their power, the demons didn’t take long to fall. A vampire and a regenerator were a formidable force; even more so than Anderson had been anticipating, though perhaps he should have expected it given their direct links to heaven and hell. The two powers were surprisingly complimentary. Their similarities enhanced their preexisting abilities, while their differences made up for anything the other was lacking. Apart, they had been powerful in their own right. Together, they were nigh unstoppable.
恶魔们巩固力量后很快溃败。一个吸血鬼与一个再生者的组合堪称恐怖——甚至超出安德森的预期，尽管考虑到他们与天堂地狱的直接联系，这本该在意料之中。这两股力量竟出奇地互补。相似之处强化了固有能力，差异则弥补了彼此缺陷。分开时他们各自强大，联手后几乎所向披靡。

Anderson had accepted the permanence of their union. He’d accepted it the minute it had happened. There had been some intrinsic understanding that what they had done was irrevocable once the union had been complete. When they’d found themselves unable to part for long, it became even clearer how deep this bond went, and so Iscariot and Hellsing had to make adjustments to accommodate their unique situation. Which – after a solid week of scrambling for an appropriate place to house the most powerful two beings on earth – led them to sharing a house a five-minute walk from Ferdinant Lukes. It wasn’t the only house available to them; Integra had arranged one for them as well, but the agreement was that they would rotate between the houses every month, and Maxwell had somehow managed to get Integra to agree to their first month being spent in Italy.
安德森早已接受他们结合的永恒性。在仪式完成的瞬间他就明白了——某种本能让他意识到这是不可逆转的羁绊。当他们发现自己无法长时间分离时，这份契约的深度愈发清晰，为此伊斯卡利奥特和 HELLSING 不得不调整策略来适应特殊状况。经过整整一周焦头烂额地寻找合适居所后，最终决定让他们轮流居住在距费迪南德·卢克斯五分钟步程的宅邸。这并非唯一选择——因特古拉也准备了住所，但协议要求他们每月轮换。而马克斯维尔不知用了什么法子，竟说服因特古拉同意首月定居意大利。

With Alucard spending most of his time in the basement brooding and drinking blood bags, frequently making a mess (which Anderson cleaned up because he couldn’t stand having empty blood packets strewn across the floor), they didn’t see each other as often as two people living together normally would. Once a day was the standard. Usually in the evening, since that was when Anderson returned from work. Alucard liked to welcome him back home before returning to the basement, and it was rare they exchanged words beyond that. Alucard’s frequent absences should have made their arrangement easier to adjust to. Instead, the quiet of the house just made it impossible to get comfortable. Anderson was accustomed to living among children. They were always loud and incessantly knocking at his door, waking him up in the early hours of the morning for this and that. There was never a quiet moment. But there was here. The quiet moments here never ended.
阿卡德大部分时间都待在地下室里，一边沉思一边啜饮血袋，经常把周围弄得一团糟（安德森会收拾残局，因为他实在无法忍受地板上散落的空血袋）。同住一个屋檐下的两个人，本不该如此疏于见面。每天一次已是常态。通常是在傍晚时分，那是安德森下班归来的时刻。阿卡德喜欢在他回家时露个面，随后便重返地下室，两人之间鲜少再有交谈。吸血鬼的频繁缺席本该让这种相处模式更容易适应。然而屋里的寂静却让人如坐针毡。安德森早已习惯与孩子们同住的日子。他们总是吵吵嚷嚷，不停地敲他的门，大清早就为各种琐事把他唤醒。没有一刻安宁。但这里不同。这里的寂静永无止境。

The worst part about the silence were his wandering thoughts. It was inevitable that he would think of what happened in the cathedral. He just hadn’t expected his thoughts to be so damn carnal. It was a shock to be sitting in the lounge room, idly thumbing through a book, and find himself thinking about sex with Alucard. Thinking about how well Alucard had filled him, how practised the strokes to his prostate had been, how strange and cold but somehow wonderful Alucard’s cock, tongue, fingers and teeth had felt. He thought of how the vampire had looked too. Dishevelled, eyes half-lidded, maybe the slightest touch of pink to his cheeks, and long black hair slipping down his shoulders. A handsome sight. Not a word he’d ever thought he would apply to a vampire, much less Alucard.
寂静最糟糕之处在于放任思绪游走。他不可避免地会想起大教堂里发生的事。只是没料到自己的念头竟会如此淫靡。当他坐在休息室随手翻阅书籍，却突然意识到自己正在想象与阿卡德交媾的场景时，这种冲击令他震惊。他想起阿卡德是如何充满他体内，那按压前列腺的手法何等娴熟，吸血鬼的阴茎、舌头、手指与牙齿带来的奇异冰冷触感又为何莫名美妙。他还记得那吸血鬼当时的模样——凌乱的黑发垂落肩头，半阖的眼帘下，苍白面颊或许泛着极淡的绯红。着实是幅赏心悦目的画面。"赏心悦目"这个词，他从未想过会用在一个吸血鬼身上，更别说是阿卡德。

“What does this union entail, exactly? Do we need to get intimate again?” he asked Alucard one quiet evening, trying to be casual. He was both apprehensive and eager about what answer he might receive.
"这种结合具体需要做什么？我们需要再次亲密接触吗？"某个寂静的夜晚，他故作随意地向阿卡德发问。对于可能得到的答案，他既忐忑又期待。

Alucard stared at him a long moment before responding. “We can resist further intimacy, but I’m available if you’d ever like to indulge.”
阿卡多凝视了他许久才回应道："我们可以克制进一步的亲密，但若您想放纵，我随时奉陪。"

Anderson scoffed and glanced away. His sense of propriety and pride prevented him from jumping upon the offer. “I’m still a priest, despite this damned union.”
安德森嗤之以鼻，别过脸去。他的体面与骄傲不允许他接受这个邀约。"即便缔结了这该死的联结，我仍是神父。"

“Whatever you prefer is fine by me,” said Alucard. “I’m happy to accommodate whatever my priest needs.”
"随您喜欢，"阿卡多说，"我很乐意满足我的神父任何需求。"

The use of ‘my’ was more appealing than it had any right to be. He heard Alucard laughing when he hastily left the room.
那个"我的"称呼莫名令人心动。当他仓皇离开房间时，听见了阿卡多的笑声。

After this conversation, he noticed the vampire seeking his company more often. Not so much that it was intrusive, but enough that it was noticeable. It was always small interactions: Alucard handing him meals, telling him to go easy on the children at Ferdinant's, suggesting new books for him to read. Little things that made the house feel more homely. He appreciated them. He was also annoyed at himself for appreciating them, but as the days passed, his resistance did wane, and he accepted Alucard’s idle affection just as he had every other new feature of his life.
这次谈话后，他注意到吸血鬼更频繁地寻求与他作伴。虽不至于侵扰，但足以引人注意。总是些细微的互动：阿尔卡特递来餐食，叮嘱他在费迪南特家对孩子们温和些，推荐新书给他阅读。这些琐碎小事让屋子更有家的气息。他心怀感激，又恼恨自己竟会感激。但随着日子流逝，他的抗拒逐渐消退，就像接受生活中其他新变化一样，他接受了阿尔卡特漫不经心的关怀。

It was three weeks into the arrangement when Heinkel came by for a visit. Anderson ushered her out of the cold and prepared her a cup of coffee. Dark, with three spoonfuls of sugar, just how she liked it, and then he sat her down in the cosy lounge room before the fire. The Vatican had arranged a relatively nice place for he and Alucard to live.
同居协议执行三周后，海因克尔前来拜访。安德森将她迎进温暖的屋内，冲了杯咖啡——纯黑，加三勺糖，正是她喜欢的口味——然后领她在炉火旁的舒适休息区落座。梵蒂冈为他和阿尔卡特安排的住所相当体面。

“So,” said Heinkel, her voice soft and awkward. “How… how are you settling in?”
"那么，"海因克尔开口，嗓音轻柔而局促，"你...适应得如何？"

“As well as can be expected,” said Anderson, equally as awkward. He traced his fingers along the rim of his own coffee mug. “We’ve been out on two jobs since this all started. Some vampires were working alongside the demons, gathering information on our respective organisations, and we located and dispatched them all.”
"还算顺利，"安德森同样拘谨地回答，指尖沿着咖啡杯沿画圈，"整件事开始后，我们执行过两次任务。有些吸血鬼与恶魔勾结，搜集我们双方组织的情报，我们已将他们全部定位清除。"

“Makes sense,” said Heinkel. “I mean, a lot of vampires are vaguely aware of you, even if they don't know your name or organisation. How many titles do they have for you now?”
"有道理，"海因克尔说。"我是说，很多吸血鬼都模模糊糊地知道你的存在，哪怕他们不知道你的名字或组织。他们现在给你起了多少绰号？"

“I can think of about a dozen.” One corner of Anderson’s lips curled. “There’s probably more, but I don’t pay that much attention to their babbling before I dispatch them.”
"我能想到的大概有十几个。"安德森嘴角一扬。"可能还有更多，不过在我解决他们之前，没怎么注意那些胡言乱语。"

“I’m partial to ‘Killing Judge Anderson’,” said Heinkel with a smile, relaxing into her chair.
"我偏爱'杀戮法官安德森'这个称呼，"海因克尔微笑着说，放松地靠在椅背上。

Anderson laughed. “That’s a forthright one.” And about what he’d expected her to favour. Heinkel never had been one to mince words.
安德森大笑起来。"倒是直截了当。"这确实符合他对她喜好的预期。海因克尔向来不是个拐弯抹角的人。

“Better than ‘Angel Dust Anderson,” said Heinkel wryly. “Did you know that means-?”
"总比'天使尘安德森'强，"海因克尔挖苦道。"你知道那意思是——？"

“I do,” he interrupted, huffing. One of his opponents had been kind enough to shout that information at him in the middle of a battle. A shame, since he’d found the name flattering. “But we’re not in America, so we can ignore that meaning.”
"我知道，"他打断道，气呼呼地。某个对手曾在战斗中"好心"地冲他喊出这个词的含义。真遗憾，因为他原本觉得这个绰号挺受用的。"但我们又不在美国，可以忽略那个意思。"

“Whatever you say, Father.”
“随您怎么说，神父。”

Heinkel idly sipped her coffee, humming in appreciation. She often said Anderson was the only one who knew how to make it just right. Not that Yumie didn’t try, but she didn’t drink coffee, finding it too bitter, so her efforts to replicate Anderson’s methods always fell a little short.
海因克尔漫不经心地啜饮着咖啡，发出满足的轻哼。她常说安德森是唯一能把这玩意儿煮得恰到好处的人。倒不是由美不够努力——只是她根本不喝咖啡，嫌味道太苦，所以再怎么模仿安德森的手法也总是差那么点儿意思。

After a companionable silence, Heinkel spoke again. “There’s been a troubling rumour going about that I’ve been meaning to clear up with you.”
在舒适的沉默过后，海因克尔再度开口：“最近有个烦人的传言，我想找您确认清楚。”

Anderson sighed. He wasn’t surprised. Odd bedfellows was great for generating rumours. “Go on. You know you can come to me about anything.”
安德森叹了口气。他并不意外——同床异梦的关系向来是滋生流言的沃土。“说吧。你知道任何事都可以找我商量。”

“And I’m always appreciative of that, Father.” She restlessly bounced a leg, taking another sip of her coffee. “It's about what happened that night at the Cathedral. Some of the people who recovered have some vague memories of what happened there.”
“我一直很感激这一点，神父。”她不安地抖着腿，又抿了一口咖啡。“是关于大教堂那晚发生的事。有些康复的人对当时情况还有些模糊记忆。”

Anderson stiffened.  安德森僵住了。

“One of His Most Holy’s guards said they recalled, uh…” She hesitated. “I’m sorry to bring it up. I just wanted to make sure you're alright, if it’s true.”
“一位教皇陛下的护卫说他们记得，呃……”她犹豫道。“很抱歉提起这事。我只是想确认您是否安好，如果传闻属实的话。”

“What exactly do they recall?” asked Anderson, anticipating the worst.
“他们具体记得什么？”安德森问道，内心已预感到最坏的情况。

“You know.” Heinkel’s cheeks rapidly turned red. “Consummation.”
“你懂的。”海因克尔的脸色迅速涨红。“圆房。”

Anderson slowly brought a hand up and buried his face into it. This was not a conversation he wanted to have with someone he had raised. This wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have at all, really, but especially not with someone he considered a daughter.
安德森缓缓抬手捂住自己的脸。这绝不是他想和自己抚养长大的孩子进行的对话。事实上，他根本不想谈论这个话题，尤其是与视如己出的女儿讨论。

When he didn’t respond, Heinkel leaned across the coffee table with a sympathetic look.
见他没有回应，海因克尔带着同情的表情倾身越过茶几。

“I’m here if you need to talk, Father. I know I’m not an ideal person for such a conversation, but you won’t receive any judgement from me, nor excessive pity you might get from those with less tact.” She cleared her throat. “Tact is, er, not really a strong suit of us Iscariot’s.”
“神父，如果您需要倾诉，我随时都在。虽然我不是最理想的倾诉对象，但至少不会像那些不懂分寸的人那样，给您带来过多怜悯或评判。”她清了清嗓子，“毕竟分寸感这东西...呃...确实不是我们伊斯卡利奥特的特长。”

Even the current level of pity felt too much.
即便是现在这种程度的怜悯也显得太过沉重。

“It’s alright, Heinkel,” he said, speaking into his palm. “It- it really is alright, which is a bigger problem than what happened that night.” 
“没关系的，海因克尔。”他把脸埋在掌心里说道，“真的没关系——这才是比那晚发生的事更严重的问题。”

“Oh,” she said, and then with greater emphasis, “Oh!”
“噢，”她先是一愣，随后加重了语气惊呼，“天啊！”

Anderson set his mug on a coaster and continued to drive his face into a palm. “So you don’t need to worry about my well-being, because it's alright. Too alright.” Which, at the very least, lessened the blow of knowing several people were aware of his and Alucard's consummation. It was hard to be appropriately troubled by that when you were a hunter in an amicable marriage with a vampire and periodically thinking of engaging in further intimacy with said vampire.
安德森将马克杯放在杯垫上，继续用手掌抵着前额。"所以你不用操心我的状况，因为好得很。好过头了。"至少这减轻了他得知多人知晓自己与阿卡德结合事实的冲击。当你是个与吸血鬼缔结友好婚姻的猎人，还时不时考虑与这位吸血鬼深化亲密关系时，实在很难为此感到应有的困扰。

“Permit me a little worry, Anderson,” said Heinkel. She took a deep breath. “That’s… it's okay, that you're... alright. I said I’m not going to judge you, and that extends to your, uh. Relationship with the vampire- with Alucard as well.”
"允许我保留一点担忧吧，安德森。"海因克尔深吸一口气，"那个...你感觉良好是...没问题的。我说过不会评判你，这当然也包括你与那个吸血鬼——与阿卡德的，呃，关系。"

“I’m not sure you could call it a relationship.”
"我不确定这能称作关系。"

“I mean…” Heinkel's expression pinched. “You are married now.”
"我是说..."海因克尔的表情拧了起来，"你们现在可是已婚状态。"

“I suppose that’s true,” he reluctantly admitted. “But you won’t catch me calling him my husband. It’s just absurd. A priest and a vampire-!” He scoffed with all the strength of a bullhorn. “Hard to think of a worse union.”
“我想确实如此，”他不情愿地承认道，“但休想让我称他为丈夫。简直荒谬。一个神父和吸血鬼——！”他发出公牛喇叭般响亮的嗤笑，“再难想出比这更糟糕的结合了。”

“Are you sure you aren’t unhappy?” asked Heinkel.
“你确定自己没有不快乐吗？”海因克尔问道。

“I’m not,” he said, hurrying to reassure her. “I’m fine, Heinkel. This is just so contrary to the church’s teachings that it's difficult to adjust to.” He sighed into his fingers. "The fact the church has sanctioned something as ridiculous as our marriage should have made this easier, but it hasn't. It's just make things more complicated. If they'd only-!" His jaw worked, but no words came out. He didn't know how to proceed. To verbalise his struggle was too difficult, too much, so he was grateful when Heinkel broke the silence.
“我没有，”他急忙向她保证，“我很好，海因克尔。只是这完全违背了教会的教义，让人难以适应。”他将叹息埋进指缝，“教会竟然批准了我们这种荒谬的婚姻，本该让事情变简单才对，结果反而更复杂了。要是他们能——！”他下颌颤动却说不出话来。不知该如何继续。将这份挣扎诉诸言语太过艰难，太过沉重，因此当海因克尔打破沉默时，他心怀感激。

“I can only imagine how difficult this must be, Anderson,” said Heinkel. After a moments pause, she added, “Regardless, this hasn't impacted our relationship. I want you to know that.” Another pause, her gaze trailing away. “And married couples are supposed to be intimate. You being an unconventional couple doesn’t make that an unreasonable part of the relationship. The church might not want to know about it, but they've accepted the marriage and the consummation, so it's not a far stretch to imagine they'd... tolerate this. And I think God would... might understand.”
“我只能想象这有多困难，安德森，”海因克尔说道。停顿片刻后，她补充道：“无论如何，这没有影响我们的关系。我希望你知道这点。”又一阵沉默，她的目光飘向远处，“而且夫妻本该亲密。你们作为非传统伴侣，并不意味着这是关系中不合理的要求。教会或许不想过问细节，但他们既然接受了婚姻和圆房...容忍这些也不算太离谱。我想上帝...或许会理解的。”

She was trying so hard to be supportive that Anderson didn’t have the heart to tell her she was doing the opposite of soothing his worry. He dropped his hand into his lap and slumped back into his chair.
她努力表现得如此支持，以至于安德森不忍心告诉她，这反而加剧了他的忧虑。他将手垂放在膝上，颓然靠回椅背。

“I’d rather get my mind off it," he muttered. "Why don’t you tell me what tasks Maxwell has set you on?”
"我宁愿转移注意力，"他低声说，"不如说说麦克斯韦给你安排了什么任务？"

“Oh, of course,” said Heinkel, frowning at the change of topic. “I suppose I should be reporting to you anyway. Alright, well…”
"噢，当然，"海因克尔因话题转变而皱眉，"反正我本该向你汇报的。好吧，其实..."

Anything Heinkel knew, Yumie eventually found out. The two were terrible at keeping secrets from one another, so they rarely bothered to. Clearly Heinkel had divulged the happenings at the Cathedral at some point, because the next he saw Yumie, she greeted him with a fierce hug and near-shouted assurances. 
海因克尔知道的事，尤米迟早也会知晓。这两人对彼此根本守不住秘密，所以她们很少费心隐瞒。显然海因克尔早已透露了教堂里发生的事，因为当他再次见到尤米时，迎接他的是一个用力的拥抱和近乎喊出来的安慰话语。

“Nothing could ever change how I see you, father!” she insisted. “Nor would your relationship with that vampire change how any of us students feel about you. We respect and love you, and we understand the necessity of it.”
“父亲，我对您的看法永远不会改变！”她坚持道。“您与那个吸血鬼的关系也不会改变我们这些学生对您的感情。我们尊敬您、爱戴您，也理解这种关系的必要性。”

Anderson didn't have her confidence. His students admired him, would even lay down their life for him, but this entire arrangement with Hellsing had been difficult for them to swallow, and that was without the knowledge of Anderson's failing resolve. He could be sure Yumie and Heinkel's opinion of him wouldn't change; he couldn't say the same for the rest of his students, nor the rest of Iscariot.
安德森并不像她这般笃定。他的学生们仰慕他，甚至愿意为他献出生命，但与地狱犬组织的整个合作安排已让他们难以接受——这还是在不知道安德森意志逐渐动摇的情况下。他可以确定由美和汉克尔对他的看法不会改变；但对其他学生，乃至整个伊斯加略组织，他就不敢保证了。

All the same, Anderson smiled and curled an arm over her thin shoulders. Deceptively thin, he should say, because she packed immense power in that build. “Thank you, Yumie," he said, fondly. "I love you too." 
尽管如此，安德森还是微笑着用手臂环住她瘦削的肩膀。该说是看似瘦削才对，因为这副身躯里蕴藏着惊人的力量。“谢谢你，由美，”他温柔地说，“我也爱你。”

Her voice lost some of its strength as she pressed on. "There's something else I wanted to mention," she said. "We - me and Heinkel - we might understand how you're feeling, at least to some extent, and I've heard commiseration helps."
她的声音突然减弱了几分，继续道：“其实还有件事...我和汉克尔——我们或许能理解您的感受，至少某种程度上可以。听说倾诉能让人好受些。”

"Are you going to explain how you understand?" asked Anderson, cocking his eyebrows. 
“你打算解释下你是怎么理解的吗？”安德森挑起眉毛问道。

“Well," she began, her voice stumbling, as it often did when she was nervous. "Our... our relationship isn't standard either, so we've have had some trouble on that front too."
“这个嘛，”她开口时声音有些磕绊，紧张时总是这样。“我们……我们的关系也不寻常，所以在这方面也遇到过些麻烦。”

Anderson'd had some suspicions about Yumie and Heinkel's relationship, though this was the first they’d confirmed it. Catholics were, understandably, discreet where unconventional relationships were concerned, but things had changed so much and so rapidly that their usual reservations seem to have been set aside.
安德森对由美和汉克尔的关系早有怀疑，不过这是她们第一次亲口证实。天主教徒对非传统关系向来谨慎，这可以理解，但世事变迁如此之快，他们惯常的顾虑似乎已被抛诸脑后。

“Yumie, you know it’d be a cold day in hell before I had a heart to heart about this," said Anderson. "But you also know I’m grateful you’re offering.” As a means of reassurance, because she still looked terribly nervous, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, careful not to get any of that wild hair in his mouth. He was practised at it. He'd been pressing kisses into her hair since she was the height of his knee. “And I’ve had a strong suspicion about your relationship with Heinkel ever since I saw your clothes in her closet a year or two back. The girls and boys at the orphanage make the same mistake, on occasion.”
“由美，你知道要我掏心窝子聊这个，除非地狱结冰，”安德森说。“但你也知道我很感激你主动提起。”见她仍显得局促不安，他俯身在她发顶落下一吻权作安抚，小心避开那些可能钻进嘴里的乱发。这个动作他早已驾轻就熟——从她只有他膝盖那么高时，他就常这样吻她的头发。“而且自从一两年前在你衣柜里看见汉克尔的衣服，我就对你们的关系起疑了。孤儿院的男孩女孩们偶尔也会犯同样的错误。”

He was close enough that he could feel the warmth gathering in her cheeks. “I thought we were really careful.”
他靠得如此之近，甚至能感受到她脸颊上积聚的热度。"我以为我们真的很小心。"

“You were.” He dislodged himself from her, placing his large hands upon her shoulders. She looked up at him, wide-eyed and flustered. “But working at Ferdinant’s has left me with a habit of noticing certain things.”
"你们确实很小心。"他从她身边退开，将大手搭在她肩上。她睁大眼睛，满脸通红地仰望着他。"但在费迪南特家工作让我养成了注意某些细节的习惯。"

Being observant was an important skill when you had several dozen kids under your care. It was best to assume every child had a death wish, because they were very good at getting into mortal danger the moment you glanced away. Replicating dangerous things they’d read in books, climbing to the highest branch of a tree, sticking metal into power sockets - there was no end to the sort of trouble a child could get themselves in, and once they reached adolescence, then there were things like drugs and smoking and sex to worry about. After decades of child rearing, Anderson knew a great deal about every one of his children, even things they didn’t know he was aware of.
当你需要照看几十个孩子时，观察力就成了必备技能。最好假设每个孩子都有寻死倾向，因为只要你稍不留神，他们就能完美地把自己置于致命危险中——模仿书里读到的危险行为、爬到树梢最高处、把金属物插进电源插座...孩子们惹麻烦的本事无穷无尽。等他们进入青春期，还得操心毒品、吸烟和性这些问题。经过数十年的育儿生涯，安德森对他的每个孩子都了如指掌，甚至包括他们自以为他不知道的事。

"Useful skill to have in general." A smile rose back on Yumie's lips, small and tentative. "If you don't want to talk about it, could you at least tell me how you're feeling? Heinkel said you were alright, but-"
"这技能确实很实用。"由美的唇角重新浮现出试探性的浅笑。"如果不想谈这个，至少告诉我你现在的感受？海因克尔说你没事，但——"

"And she's right," said Anderson. "I'm comfortable, which she might have also mentioned was a source of concern. But I'm still comfortable despite that."
"她说得对，"安德森说道。"我很自在，虽然她可能也提到过这正是令人担忧之处。但即便如此，我依然感到自在。"

"But I know you're worried about what the church and God thinks," said Yumie quietly. 
"但我知道你在担心教会和上帝的看法，"由美轻声说。

"Less than I should be," said Anderson, and he was surprised by the honesty of this remark. But it was true, wasn't it? He should have been clawing out of his flesh to escape the union; he should have been rallying the church in a futile effort to free himself, but he wasn't. In fact, come to think of it, he'd always liked Alucard, had always respected him and eagerly anticipated their encounters, and that hadn't been appropriate either. Maybe he had been the best man for the union for reasons beyond strength.
"比应有的程度要轻，"安德森回答，这个坦率的回答让他自己都感到惊讶。但这是事实，不是吗？他本该撕开自己的血肉逃离这段结合；他本该集结教会做徒劳的抗争来解脱自己，但他没有。事实上，仔细想想，他一直都喜欢阿卡德，始终对他怀有敬意，并热切期待着他们的相遇——这本身也不合规矩。或许他成为这段结合的最佳人选，除了实力之外还有其他原因。

A little more of his resolve flaked off. It was as painful as it was relieving. 
他的决心又剥落了一些。这种感受既痛苦又释然。

"And any worry I have is being dealt with, Yumie," he continued. 'Battered down' would have been more apt a description. "That's all I can do about it, because even if I wasn't happy, this is how things are now." 
"我所有的忧虑都在处理中，由美，"他继续说道。用"被强行压制"来形容或许更为贴切。"这就是我能做的一切了，因为即使我不快乐，现状已是如此。"

Yumie raised a hand to one of his, curling her thin fingers around his broader ones. "As long as you aren't miserable, Father," she said. “It goes without saying, but if that Hellsing dog ever does something you don’t like-“
由美抬起手覆在他手上，纤细的手指缠绕住他宽厚的手掌。"只要您不痛苦就好，神父，"她说。"虽然不言而喻，但如果那个 Hellsing 的走狗敢做出任何让您不快的事——"

“I’ll be the first to express my displeasure," Anderson interrupted.
"我会第一个表达不满，"安德森打断道。

“Of course." Yumie gave a soft, melodious laugh, so unlike the malicious ones she brought into battle. "But leave a few scraps for me and Heinkel.”
"当然。"由美发出轻柔悦耳的笑声，与她在战场上那种充满恶意的笑声截然不同。"不过记得给我和汉克尔留点残羹剩饭。"

At that particular mental image, Anderson gave a laugh of his own, his sobriety momentarily eased. Yumie had always been good at lifting his mood. “I doubt I’ll need to rend him into pieces for you two to share. He’s been behaving.”
想到那个画面，安德森不禁笑出声来，醉意也暂时消散了几分。由美总能让他心情好转。"我看不用把他大卸八块让你们平分了，他最近挺安分的。"

“Really?” Her eyebrows rose. “No trouble at all?”
"真的吗？"她挑起眉毛，"一点麻烦都没惹？"

“Nothing beyond his standard inappropriateness. Comments and the like.” And even those were subdued. “He’s been…” He bit the tip of his tongue as he considered an appropriate adjective. “Pleasant.”
"除了那些惯常的出格言行，比如言语调戏之类的。"而且就连这些也收敛了不少。"他最近..."他咬着舌尖斟酌用词，"挺讨人喜欢的。"

Yumie blinked owlishly at him. “A vampire is being pleasant?”
由美像猫头鹰般眨了眨眼："吸血鬼居然会讨人喜欢？"

“I’m just as shocked as you,” said Anderson. "But I wouldn't be calling the situation agreeable if he hadn't been pleasant."
“我和你一样震惊，”安德森说。“但如果他态度恶劣，我也不会觉得这情况令人愉快。”

“I’m glad, just…” Yumie trailed off, making a helpless gesture with her hands.
“我很高兴，只是……”由美的声音逐渐消失，双手做了个无奈的手势。

Anderson saved her the effort of coming up with an explanation by giving her one last squeeze and stepping away. 
安德森最后捏了捏她的肩膀便退开，省去了她费力解释的麻烦。

"Don't worry, Yumie," said Anderson, his voice gentle in a way it was with few others. "As outcomes go, this isn't the worst one."
“别担心，由美，”安德森说道，声音温柔得罕见。“就结果而言，这还不算最糟的。”

When they transitioned to their England house in early March, Anderson found himself cooking his own meals. More for pleasure than practicality since Anderson could have subsisted on pre-cooked meals without sacrificing his health. The process of finding a recipe, gathering the appropriate ingredients, and preparing them all was relaxing; a good way to wind down after spending his day performing charity work- something he was filling his time with now that he didn’t have Ferdinant Lukes to go to. The night jobs came slow, as they always had, and they didn't take long to do now that he and Alucard were able to extend their abilities over several miles and detect the presence of hell bound creatures. More than ever, the extinction of vampires within Anderson’s lifetime was looking feasible.
三月初搬进英格兰的宅邸后，安德森开始亲自下厨。与其说是为了果腹，不如说是享受烹饪的乐趣——毕竟即食餐点也足以维持他的健康。寻找食谱、采购食材、精心烹制的整个过程令他感到放松，是在慈善工作结束后舒缓身心的好方式。自从失去费迪南德·卢克斯这个去处，他便用慈善活动填补空闲时光。夜间任务依旧稀少如常，不过现在他和阿尔卡特能将感知范围延伸至数英里外，轻易锁定地狱生物的踪迹，处理起来更加高效。有生之年彻底灭绝吸血鬼的可能性，此刻比以往任何时候都更接近现实。

Without meals to ply Anderson with, Alucard switched to gifting him old, exotic books. Presumably ones that had been saved through Alucard’s longevity and stored somewhere dark and hidden in the Hellsing estate. They were yellowed and dog-eared, dusty and frail, but Anderson was thrilled with them all the same, happy to be holding a piece of history in his hands. Considering how much history literature was among the piles of books he had strewn about his room, it wasn’t a surprise Alucard had figured out he was a history enthusiast. Alongside everything else, he found himself thoroughly and reluctantly endeared to the man.
既然无法再用美食讨好安德森，阿尔卡特转而赠送他古老稀有的典籍。这些书想必是借由吸血鬼漫长的生命得以保存，曾深藏在赫尔斯辛庄园某处阴暗角落。它们纸页泛黄、边角卷折，覆满尘埃且脆弱易碎，但安德森依然如获至宝，为能亲手触碰历史片段而欣喜若狂。考虑到他房间里四处堆放的书籍中历史文学占比颇高，阿尔卡特发现他是个历史爱好者并不令人意外。在诸多因素交织下，他不得不承认自己已对这个男人产生了深切的好感。

Alucard had also become more tactile recently. His touch lingered. It lingered on his shoulders, the small of his spine, his arm, and his neck. If Alucard had an excuse to touch him, he took it, and Anderson found himself getting progressively more affected by the closeness, to the point that he would jump when it was initiated and his face would warm if they remained together too long. He could have asked Alucard to stop, and he was certain the man would have, but the contact was pleasurable enough that he didn’t want to relinquish it. He tried to pass his enjoyment off as being the consequence of their union, but he knew full well it had just as much to do with the fact he just liked being touched by Alucard.
最近阿卡德也变得越发喜欢肢体接触。他的触碰总是流连不去——流连在安德森的肩头、脊背凹陷处、臂弯与颈侧。只要找到触碰的借口，阿卡德绝不会放过，而安德森发现自己正逐渐被这种亲昵影响，以至于对方刚伸手他就会轻颤，若接触稍久，脸颊便会发烫。他本可以要求阿卡德停下，也确信对方会照办，但这种接触带来的愉悦让他舍不得喊停。他试图将这种快感归因于灵魂链接的副作用，却心知肚明——他只是单纯喜欢被阿卡德触碰罢了。

(And maybe just liked Alucard in general).
（或许还单纯喜欢阿卡德这个人）。

It was after a full three months of being subjected to those idle touches that Anderson gave into the urge to indulge. He took an ascot from Alucard’s basement, one of the few made of physical material, and lay down in bed with it twisted between his fingers. Grasping his cock, he began to stroke slowly and with clear inexperience. It was rare he masturbated. Self-pleasure was considered a sin by Catholic doctrine, so arousal had always been little more than a source of frustration for Anderson. When he had touched himself intimately in the past, it’d been for practical reasons, to rid himself of a visible bulge or provide a doctor with a sample (something that had been used to confirm his sterility following the regenerator trials). He had otherwise managed to refrain. He wasn’t a man who let his base desires control him.
整整三个月放任那些漫不经心的触碰后，安德森终于向放纵的冲动屈服。他从阿卡德地下室取来一条实体材质的领巾，躺在床上将它缠绕指间。握住自己勃起的性器时，他的动作缓慢而生涩。自渎对安德森而言实属罕见——天主教义视手淫为罪孽，情欲向来只是令他烦躁的困扰。过去即便自慰，也仅出于实际需求：消除裤裆明显的隆起，或是为医生提供精液样本（那是在再生实验后确认他丧失生育能力的检测）。除此之外，他始终恪守戒律，从不是会被原始欲望支配的人。

Until now, evidently.  显然，直到此刻之前都不是。

He was bound to a vampire for the rest of his life, so he reasoned that he couldn't fall much farther. His chastity had already been thoroughly compromised. He would pray for forgiveness all the same, but he would do it in the knowledge it was unlikely to be granted, and nor was it deserved.
他此生已与吸血鬼绑定，因此他认定自己不可能堕落到更深的境地。他的贞洁早已彻底丧失。他仍会祈求宽恕，但心知这宽恕既不可能被赐予，也不配得到。

He traced a thumb over a vein on the tight surface of his cock and breathed in harshly through closed teeth. His eyelashes fluttered against his cheeks. He had to be careful to take things slow, take his time. He was only going to permit himself to come once. He didn’t want to make a mess.
他用拇指抚过自己勃起阴茎表面紧绷的血管，紧闭的牙关间泄出粗重喘息。睫毛在脸颊上急促颤动。他必须小心地放慢节奏，给自己足够时间。他只允许自己释放一次。他不想弄得一片狼藉。

He brought the ascot to his lips, letting them brush over the smooth material while he languidly stroked himself. They smelt faintly of Alucard. Gun oil, metal, and earth. Having seen the interior of Alucard's coffin while rousing him for work, it was clear that was where the earthy smell was sourced from. Alucard must have slept with the ascot on, may have even masturbated while in there, and that thought made Anderson give a soft moan. With each stroke, each surge of arousal, his thoughts got more disjointed and obscene, fragments of perverse desires and fantasies rising to his consciousness. The memory of the night at the cathedral was at the forefront of everything.
他将领巾凑到唇边，让双唇摩挲过光滑的布料，同时慵懒地抚弄着自己。那上面残留着阿尔卡德若有若无的气息——枪油、金属与泥土的混合。在唤醒阿尔卡德工作时曾窥见过那具棺材内部，显然泥土气息正是源自那里。阿尔卡德想必是系着这条领巾入睡的，说不定还在棺材里自渎过，这个念头让安德森发出轻柔的呻吟。每一次抚弄，每一波情潮，都让他的思绪愈发支离破碎而淫秽不堪，种种悖德的欲望与幻想碎片不断浮现在意识表层。大教堂那夜的记忆始终盘踞在一切念想的中心。

He stretched his legs out, toes digging into the soft material of the mattress. His hips rose with each stroke. His back arched to accommodate the movement, leading his head to thump into the pillows. He practically saw stars as his pleasure raced for the precipice and he had to force himself to slow down so to prevent a premature finish.
他伸展双腿，脚趾陷进柔软的床垫。随着每次套弄的动作，腰胯不断抬起。背部弓起配合着律动，使得后脑勺反复撞进枕头堆里。快感如疾驰般冲向悬崖边缘时，他眼前几乎迸出金星，不得不强迫自己放慢速度以免过早登顶。

“My my, priest,” came Alucard’s voice from the foot of the bed, prompting him to draw himself upright so fast that he smacked into the headboard. “I was wondering what you were doing in the basement earlier. This is better than anything I could have imagined.”
"哎呀呀，神父，"阿卡德的声音从床尾传来，惊得他猛地直起身子，后脑勺重重撞上了床头板。"我还在想你先前在地下室做什么呢。这可比我想象的任何画面都要精彩。"

Anderson stared at Alucard, wide-eyed, trying to conjure up a response, but all he managed was a strangled noise while he fumbled to cover himself.
安德森睁大眼睛瞪着阿卡德，试图组织语言回应，却只发出了一声哽咽般的怪响，手忙脚乱地想要遮掩身体。

“It’s daytime,” he stuttered. “You don’t come out during the day!”
"现在可是白天，"他结结巴巴地说，"你白天从来不出门的！"

“I do when I hear people wandering around my basement,” Alucard purred, his weight dipping the bed as he crawled onto the mattress. “I approve of your use of my ascot, don’t you worry.”
"当听到有人在我地下室里游荡时，我就会这么做，"阿卡德低语道，他爬上床垫时压得床铺微微下陷。"我很欣赏你用了我的领巾，别担心。"

His face couldn’t have been redder. “How long were you watching?”
他的脸涨得通红。"你看了多久？"

“A few minutes, at least.” He came even closer and Anderson drew his legs up to his chest. The ascot remained trapped between his fingers. “You don’t have to satisfy yourself with your hand. I can give you the real thing.”
"至少几分钟。"他又靠近了些，安德森将双腿蜷缩到胸前。领巾仍被他攥在指间。"你不必用手自我满足。我可以给你真实的体验。"

“I don’t want…” It was a blatant lie, so he didn’t bother to finish it. “I shouldn’t,” he said instead, releasing the ascot to coil his fingers around his skin-warm cross. “There’s no practical purpose for it.”
“我不想……”这分明是谎言，所以他懒得说完。“我不该这样，”他转而说道，松开领巾，手指缠绕上那枚带着体温的十字架。“这么做毫无实际意义。”

“There wasn’t any practical purpose for this either and you still did it.” Alucard closed what little space remained between them, his hands coming to rest on Anderson’s knees. “You’re a pious man, priest, but not that pious, and even less so now that I’ve had you. That I have you.” He leaned close enough for his lips to brush the shell of Anderson’s ear. “You like being mine, Alexander Anderson. I can tell.”
“这事同样毫无实际意义，可你还是做了。”阿尔卡特缩短了两人间最后的距离，双手搭上安德森的膝盖。“你是个虔诚的人，神父，但没那么虔诚——自从我得到你之后就更不虔诚了。”他倾身贴近，唇瓣擦过安德森的耳廓，“你喜欢属于我，亚历山大·安德森。我看得出来。”

Anderson pressed a low hiss past clenched teeth. “It’s that damned union-!”
安德森从紧咬的牙关间挤出一声低嘶。“都怪那该死的结合——！”

“Our marriage can only compel so much.” His lips moved to Anderson’s jaw and Anderson didn’t push him away. Despite his protests, he found himself leaning into the scrape of Alucard’s lips over his skin. “There it is,” he murmured, his hand slipping between Anderson’s legs. Anderson only tensed briefly before relaxing into Alucard’s touch, his thighs flopping apart as those nimble fingers found his still-hard cock. “That’s it. Open for me, Anderson.”
“我们的婚姻契约可没这么大效力。”他的唇移向安德森的下颌，而安德森没有推开他。尽管嘴上抗拒，他的身体却不由自主地迎合着阿尔卡特游走在肌肤上的唇齿。“这就对了，”阿尔卡特低语着，手滑入安德森双腿之间。安德森只是短暂地绷紧身体，随即在那触碰下松弛开来，当灵巧的手指握住他依然挺立的性器时，他的大腿彻底敞开了。“乖，为我张开吧，安德森。”

“You’re a bastard,” he breathed, leaning his face into Alucard’s shoulder as the man stroked him, desperately and horribly wanting of him. It would have been easier had it just been intimacy he was after. “You never leave well enough alone.”
“你这混蛋，”他喘息着将脸埋进阿尔卡特的肩头，任由对方抚弄自己，可耻又绝望地渴求着更多。若对方索求的仅是肉体交欢，事情反倒简单。“你从来不懂适可而止。”

“I don’t leave you alone, you mean.” His teeth closed over Anderson neck, and when he found no resistance he tore into it, lapping away the spill of red and kissing the skin as it healed over. Anderson brought his hands up to Alucard’s shoulders and wrapped his fingers tight around them. “And I never will,” Alucard finished, smiling against Anderson’s neck. “We are bound as one now, we might as well enjoy our time together.”
“你是说，我不会让你独处。”他的牙齿抵上安德森的脖颈，发觉毫无抵抗后便咬破皮肤，舔舐着涌出的鲜血，又在伤口愈合时落下轻吻。安德森双手攀上阿卡多的肩膀，手指紧紧扣住。“而我永远不会，”阿卡多贴着安德森的颈动脉低笑，“如今我们已血脉相连，不如好好享受共处的时光。”

Anderson's breaths turned panting when his finish came racing up again. It didn’t take long, and this time he made no attempt to forestall it. Thick, white strings of come splashed into Alucard’s palm, and he smiled at Anderson while cleaning the mess off his glove with long swipes of his tongue. Anderson continued to tremble through the aftermaths. His fingers and toes curled, nails biting into Alucard’s shoulders. It was dizzyingly good, even better than it would have been had Anderson brought himself off, and his shame was quickly overrun by rolling warmth and euphoria.
当高潮再度席卷而来时，安德森的呼吸变得急促。这次他未作任何抵抗，顷刻间浓白的精液便溅落在阿卡多掌心。吸血鬼微笑着，用长舌缓缓拭净手套上的浊液。安德森仍在余韵中颤抖，脚趾与手指都蜷缩起来，指甲深深陷入阿卡多的肩胛。这快感令人晕眩，远胜于自渎的体验，羞耻感很快被翻涌的暖流与欣快感淹没。

Alucard’s lips found his and grazed over them at first, testing the waters, and when Anderson didn’t protest he pressed them together with greater insistence, delving his tongue into Anderson’s mouth. His tongue was cold. It drove a chill into Anderson, who shivered and fisted his hands in Alucard’s red duster. The daze of climax was steadily receding, and he had just enough presence of mind to kiss back. It was slow and sloppy, courtesy of this being his first real kiss, but Alucard seemed enthused that he was reciprocating at all. He licked his tongue over Anderson’s hard palate and along his molars and bit lightly at his bottom lip.
阿卡多的唇先是若即若离地轻蹭，试探着安德森的反应，见他并未抗拒便加深了这个吻。冰冷的舌探入口腔时，安德森打了个寒颤，手指攥紧了那件红色风衣。高潮的迷雾逐渐散去，他勉强凝聚神智回应这个生涩的吻——由于是初吻而显得缓慢笨拙，但阿卡多显然为他的回应欣喜不已。吸血鬼的舌尖扫过硬腭，摩挲臼齿，最后轻轻咬住他的下唇。

After having his fill of Anderson's mouth, Alucard drew back with a smile, leaning his cool forehead against Anderson’s heated, sweaty one.
饱尝安德森的双唇后，阿尔卡特带着笑意退开，将沁凉的额头抵在对方汗湿发烫的前额上。

“After that, I’m even more inclined to think lady doth protest too much.”
"经过刚才那一遭，我倒更觉得你是欲拒还迎了。"

“Shut up,” Anderson muttered, without any strength.
"闭嘴。"安德森有气无力地嘟囔道。

He gave in. A strange way to put getting into a relationship – a proper, reciprocated one – but it was the first thing to come to mind on that day Alucard had crawled into his bed. He’d crawled in more times than Anderson cared to count since then. Intimacy had been incorporated into their routine, and once Anderson had overcome the worst of his reservations, helped along by Yumie and Heinkel's unwavering (and sometimes exasperating) support, it didn't seem such a heinous thing. Just like everything else, it quick became comfortable.
他妥协了。用"妥协"来形容一段两情相悦的正式关系或许有些奇怪，但那天阿尔卡特爬进他床铺时，这个词最先蹦入脑海。自那以后，吸血鬼造访的次数多到安德森懒得计数。亲昵渐渐融入他们的日常，当安德森在最顽固的心理障碍前败下阵来——这多亏由美和汉克坚定不移（有时令人恼火）的支持——这件事似乎也不再那么罪大恶极。就像其他所有事情一样，他们很快便习以为常。

Having Heinkel and Yumie drop by their Rome base felt like a new height of domesticity for them, and even more so when they retired to the bedroom after like overwrought grandparents. Anderson lay down in bed with a book while Alucard got himself comfortable on his lap, as was often his wont.
海因克尔和由美的突然造访让他们在罗马的基地平添了几分家的温馨，而当他们像过度操劳的祖父母般退回卧室时，这种感觉更甚。安德森躺在床上看书，阿尔卡特则像往常一样惬意地枕在他腿上。

"By the way," murmured Anderson partway into his book. "What is that black space you have inside yourself? I never did ask."
"说起来，"安德森读到一半突然低语道，"你体内那片黑色空间究竟是什么？我一直没问过。"

"A void that holds all the beings I've consumed," said Alucard. "Over four centuries worth."
"那是容纳所有被我吞噬之物的虚空，"阿尔卡特答道，"积累了四百多年的量。"

"Four centuries," echoed Anderson, his brow furrowing. That was far older than he'd assumed Alucard to be.
"四百年，"安德森眉头紧锁地重复道。这远比他所猜测的阿尔卡特的年龄要古老得多。

There was a significant pause before Alucard spoke again. "Anderson," he said, shifting to look up at him. "Why do you think I go by the name 'Alucard'?"
阿尔卡德沉默良久才再次开口。"安德森，"他微微抬头看向对方，"你知道我为什么用'阿尔卡德'这个名字吗？"

Anderson gave his lips a nervous lick. He had a bad feeling about what this was leading into. "To... to mock the popularity of Dracula while serving 'Hellsing'."
安德森紧张地舔了舔嘴唇。他隐约预感到接下来的对话走向不太妙。"为了...在效忠'海尔辛'的同时嘲讽德古拉的名声。"

"No, Anderson. I am Dracula."
"不，安德森。我是德古拉。"

Anderson dropped the book he was holding.
安德森手中的书掉落在地。

Well, maybe it wasn't a completely comfortable arrangement.
好吧，也许这个安排并不完全令人舒适。