knitekat

Title: Bathed By Blood (6/16)
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~2810 (of a total ~47955)
Characters: James Lester, Tom Ryan and a cast of RPs, OCs and OHs.
Pairing: James Lester/Tom Ryan
Rating: 18
Disclaimer: Primeval belongs to Impossible Pictures. Certainly not me. Writing for fun and will replace.
A/N 1: Part of my AU Bloodverse series. Continues from Part 5 and continues in Part 7.
A/N 2: Contains details of historical fact, several individuals in the fic are based on real historical people.
A/N 3: Thanks go to Fred for the beta. Cheers, m'dear.
Warnings: Dark!fic, bloodplay, blood and gore in general (graphic descriptions), angst, hurt/comfort.

The next morning I was woken by the sound of the door knocker being rapped hard and blinked blearily around our still-darkened room, although I could sense that the sun had risen shortly before. Who would be rousing the house at this early hour? It took but a moment for me to realise another murder had been committed and I might be a step closer to finding this madman. Guilt followed quickly that another mortal was dead and I should have felt sorrow for her suffering, not happiness that I might solve the murders. My emotions were confused and I was convinced meeting Mrs Green and recalling my boyhood had not helped my situation, but no matter, I had a job to do and I would do it. I nudged Ryan and, at his muttered moan, spoke. “I must dress, my love. I fear we have Scotland Yard at the door and that another murder has been committed.”

Ryan muttered several uncomplimentary comments about the murderer, and about the police knocking on our door. “I will get dressed.”

I leaned down and kissed him, smiling as I remembered the ecstasy when we had shared our bodies last night. “No, my love. The sun has already risen. I will be swift.”

Ryan pulled me down and kissed me hard. “Damn this weakness to the sun.”

I smiled. “Be glad you are of my Line. Few others can withstand even what you can now.”

Ryan sighed. “So you have taught me, sire, and I have learned.” He shivered and looked towards the window as the merest hint of daylight crept through the thick drapes. “To never feel the sun on my skin again, I know not how the other Lines stand it.”

“They all have other gifts and seem content in their night.” I murmured, remembering when I had asked My Lord the same question.

I had been nervous, fearing I had overstepped some boundary but he smiled. “I will not punisssssh you for wanting to ssssatissssfy your curiossssity, young one. I too ssssssought anssswersssss to questionssssss. My mind, you ssssee, was alwayssss sssharp, but my body deformed, my face twissssted and my sssspeech.” He smiled and I knew he meant he had always spoken with a hiss. “Yessss, my family ssssaid I had been sssscared by a viper asss a child, my voice echoing itssss hissss when I sssspoke. I knew I would never be accepted, never have a wife, so I chossse to hide my face behind the cowl of a monk. I was never really accepted by them, they believed my form was God'sss punisssshment for ssssome wickednessss, but they were quite content to leave me forgotten in the library. When my ssssire approached me, it wasss with questionsss. At firssst they were easssy to ansssswer. Later, I had to sssscour the manusssscriptsss closssely and sssspent long hourssss ssssearching for him. When he finally revealed himsssself to me, I ssssaw he was as dissssfigured as I. He offered me an eternity of ressssearch and I jumped at the chance. Sssso, yessss, young Jamessss, I have alwayssss looked like thisssss. My Line ssssiressss from thossssse whosssse livessss have been blighted, whether by appearance or manner. My Bloodssssisssster hassss perfect lookssss, but ssssshe wasss too timid to take the praissssse due to her, letting another take the credit for her work. Now, ssssshe is happy ssssearching for ansssswersssss, knowing our Line valuessss her work.”

The repeated sharp rap on the door broke my musing and I looked up into the amused face of my lover. “Tonight you will have to tell me what you were remembering with such a fond smile, my sire, for it is good to see you smile at a memory, not scowl as you did last night.” Ryan said before gently kissing my forehead. “But, for now, Scotland Yard is at the door and waking the household.”

“We will see, my love.” I longed to stay in Ryan's arms but duty called and I reluctantly pulled free. I swiftly dressed and was about to exit the room when I turned and kissed Ryan hard, nipping his lip. “I will miss your presence at my side.”

“I will study diligently, my sire.” Ryan gently pushed me towards the bedroom door. “Hurry and return to me.”

I nodded, willing the day to come when Ryan could once more feel sunlight on his skin without fear, when he could accompany me or not at his leisure. “I will, my love.” I turned and sped down the hall, only slowing at the stairs, but even then I was downstairs almost before Becker sleepily answered the door to my visitors.

****

I leaned back in the cushioned seat of my carriage and listened to the clatter of hooves on cobblestones as Charlie directed us through the streets to the East End. It looked as if it would be a brilliant autumnal day, although still on the chilly side. I could still smell the dampness in the air and looked up at the partly overcast sky. As I did so I wrinkled my nose at I was assaulted by the mixture of smells that characterised any low-class slum.

I found myself longing for Ryan, wishing he could have sat beside me and aided me in this task, but I knew he was not yet strong enough to stand the light of the sun for the amount of time we would be out, not without the risk of his flesh smouldering. The last thing I wanted was to present a keenly observant man such as Abberline with proof of the supernatural, even if his rational mind would have dismissed such a thought. At least to begin with.

But soon, I hoped, Ryan would have mastered our ability to withstand sunlight. I hoped that his gradual exposure to the sun would speed the process of adaptation, especially with the help of the ointment that aided his healing. I wished I had had it in my first days, in the aftermath of my own burning encounter with the sun. As it was, I had been so terrified by that memory that my sire had had to drag me into the street in the end. I had to admit to idle curiosity as to how the other Lines activated their abilities, but I had never asked, just as I would never discuss the training of one newly-turned to my Line.

I shook my head to clear such irrelevant thoughts from my mind as I needed to concentrate my full attention on my task. I felt my carriage slow and heard the neigh of one of the matched black pair that pulled it. “Eazy, boyz.” Charlie's voice sounded behind me and he knocked on the flap before opening it. “Zur Jamez? Yer uz be, zur.”

“Very good, Charlie.” I nodded and clambered down to the street at the bells tolled for quarter past seven. I looked around to locate the murder site and quickly spotted several blue-uniformed policemen. I sighed, for they would have trampled through the murder site and muddled any evidence the murderer had left. I would have little chance of discovering who was behind the crime, yet alone anything I could use to even narrow my list of suspects. I would have to wait for the Seer to discover his identity... or wait until the next time he killed and try once more to glean any information from the near bloodless scene.

“Sir James.” Abberline gave me a respectful nod. “I hope this morning finds you well.”

“It does,” I replied as I moved towards him and the men gathered near him. “Have my instructions been followed?” I asked as I attempted to ignore the enticing scent of spilt blood in the air. When I looked into the yard I was pleasantly surprised to see it looking remarkably undisturbed.

“One of my hofficer's checked for life, Sir James, and the good Dr Phillips has hexamined her, but mostly the yard has been left huntouched.” I smiled at Abberline's statement, with such little contamination I might have a chance to identify the murderer, or at least gain some idea as to his identity. Abberline looked behind me before asking, still most respectfully, “Pardon my curiosity, Sir James, but where are your men?”

I smiled. “I wished to see the site for myself, inspector. I have sent for a specialist but they will not arrive in time to examine this site.”

“You would wish to have the yard preserved?” Abberline looked around and shook his head, no doubt hoping I would say no. I took a quick glance around and saw what he did. The yard would be impossible to keep intact enough for the Seer to gain any information.

“No, inspector.” I sighed, “I am afraid the next murder will have to suffice.”

“Next?” Abberline jerked around to face me. “You believe there will be more?”

“You do not?” I enquired. “He has committed two murders, Inspector, possibly more. No, this madman will strike again. You know that as well as I.”

Abberline nodded. We both knew that the murderer would kill again. Until he was stopped.

I followed Abberline through the yard's entrance and almost stopped at the sight of the man inside. For an instance I believed he was a vampire. He was in his fifties, but it was his old fashioned clothing that made me wonder – he would not have looked out of place a century ago. I soon discerned that he was not as I could tell his heartbeat and his breathing were not affectations. “Sir James, this is Dr George Bagster Phillips, the Police Surgeon of 'H' division. Dr Phillips, if you could give us your findings.”

Dr Phillips proved to be charming of manner and of great skill. His voice was soft as he spoke. “Yes hinspector. Sir James.” He nodded respectfully at me. “The body was cold when I harrived, sir, halthough the...” He paused before enquiring, “Do you want hall the details, sir?”

I nodded, “I need to know everything, my good doctor. In truth, I believe I must view the body.” I managed to sound both professional and slightly disturbed by that thought. With the heady scent of spilt blood in the air I was glad I had stopped for a glass or two of my special wine to break my fast or I might have looked far too eager to view the body. At the doctor's dubious expression, I added, “I promise you, I have a strong stomach.”

Dr Phillips nodded, although I was not convinced he believed my declaration. “This way, sir.” He led both myself and Abberline towards the fence that surrounded the yard, to a sack-covered form that lay on blood-sodden dirt.

“If you would be so kind as to remove the cover, doctor,” I murmured as I extended my normal senses to their utmost. I could almost feel him, a tantalising familiarity, which did not help as I knew most of the vampires who called London home. Instead I turned my attention to his latest victim. She was short, I would have guessed somewhere around five foot tall, and of stout build, even though she had to look of being under-nourished. Her dark, wavy hair formed a halo around her head and I couldn't help wondering if she was now in a better world. She was wearing the typical clothes of a poor woman. I saw nothing that marked her out in any way from the typical inhabitants of the East End. “Who discovered her?”

Abberline leafed through his ever-present notebook. “A John Davis, a carman. He discovered her a little before 6am. He lives on the third floor with his family, sir.”

I nodded as I considered the body before me. Her left arm had been placed across her left breast. Her knees had been drawn up with the feet resting on the ground and the knees turned outwards. I had to wonder if the killer was mocking her in death by putting her in such a pose, for with the filth on the streets no one, whore or customer, would sully their clothing by lying in the muck. Her face was bruised and turned to the right side and I could see the tip of her tongue protruding between her front teeth. I had the distinct feeling that she had been unwell, perhaps even dying, when she had met her unfortunate fate.

It was plain to see that the murderer was a savage beast. She was terribly mutilated, her throat deeply severed once more, the wound jagged and nearly decapitating her. I was convinced that was to hide the puncture wounds left from an unhealed vampire bite. I looked around for blood but apart from smears on the wooded paling and some absorbed into the dirt, there was a marked absence of it. Again pointing towards one of my kind being responsible and I had to worry when the mob would form, inflamed by Stoker's novel, and sweep through the area hunting for vampires.

Dr Phillips broke the silence, no doubt believing I had been shocked wordless by the terrible sight. “The body is cold, sir, although there was a certain amount of heat, under the hintestines. The limbs are also still flexible, halthough they are beginning to stiffen. My professional hopinion is that she has been dead for two hours. I will conduct an hautopsy this hafternoon if you wish to attend, sir.”

I shook my head, affecting distaste at such proceedings. “I think not, I have business to attend to. I trust I will get a full report, inspector?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Good. Once I have read it, I might want to question some of the witnesses.” Once I had seen if any statement held discrepancies that might indicate memory tampering.

“Very good, sir. I will harrange for a constable to be on hand for you,” Abberline offered, most gracefully.

I paused as if in thought, but I had already decided on this action on my way here. If I had to break any effects of domination I could not afford to have a constable as a witness. “No, I think not, Inspector.” At Abberline's confused look, I added, “The Home Office would prefer its involvement in these murders to be kept quiet. We do not want panic or hysteria in the streets, after all. If I could pervade upon you for a warrant card I would be most obliged, otherwise I will make a request to Lord Henry.”

Abberline glanced at the body before nodding. “I quite hunderstand, Sir James. If the papers learn that the Home Office is hinvolved there will be even more sensational stories published. I'll have it delivered to you in the hafternoon post, sir.”

“Excellent.” I paused once more as if a thought had occurred to me. “And one for my private secretary, Ryan, if you would be so kind. I might have him make inquiries if I am otherwise engaged.”

“Yes sir.” Abberline paused before asking, “In what names would you want them, sir?”

Ah, good question. Neither myself or Ryan could use our own names, for fear that the murders might be linked to us and to the Home Office. “I will leave that in your capable hands, Inspector.” I took one final look around the yard and knew I would learn nothing more from it. I would need to wait for the Seer, as I had known from the start. The Seer bloodline was far more skilled in finding traces than I was but more importantly, they had the ability to see what the future might hold. I sighed, “A beastly business, gentlemen. I bid you good day.” I walked back to my carriage as the men's farewells reached my ears. Climbing inside I closed my eyes and pressed my fingers to my nose.

“'Hwome, zur?” Charlie's ever-cheerful voice came through the flap.

“Yes, Charlie.” I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes as I remembered I would have to make my report to the Council. “I will need your services later, Charlie. Tonight I must visit Black Hall.”

I heard him swallow and his voice held a quiver as he replied, “Very good, zur.”

Charlie was a good man and I would have to remember to have Becker break out a tankard of brandy for him on our return from the Council.