Primeval fic: Bathed By Blood (10/16)
Jun. 1st, 2012 09:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
knitekatTitle: Bathed By Blood (10/16)
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~3170 (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 9 and continues in Part 11.
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.
I woke to the smell of blood as a glass was wafted under my nose. I eagerly grasped it and drank deeply before I opened my eyes. “What time is it, Becker?” I could sense the sun was still up, although low in the sky.
“Nearly five o'clock, sir,” Becker informed me, “I have taken the liberty of having Hattie prepare you breakfast, sir.”
“The reports have arrived?” I sat up and sipped from the glass he had refilled as we had spoken.
“One, sir. I believe from the City of London police.”
I smiled, good old Henry. It would appear that Henry did not want an unsolved murder on his hands and had called in his police surgeon to work on a Sunday. I assumed that the Metropolitan police had decided to preserve the day of rest and I would receive the report tomorrow.
If I was dealing with a vampire as I believed I was, the sooner I could question the witnesses the better. I swallowed the rest of the blood before beginning my ablutions. I left Ryan sleeping as I retired to my study and I had to smile as I found a full breakfast waiting for me at my desk. My papers had been tidied carefully out of the way and it was the first time I had seen the scruffy green leather top of my desk for many months. I set about my meal with gusto, cleaning the plate and drinking down another glass of blood to fortify me for my reading.
I quickly flicked through the report to find the autopsy and leafed through that to the medical examination of the body. I could not stop the shudder that passed through my body as I read Doctor Brown's most thorough notes and tried to understand how the killer could have committed this crime, any of the murders. Was there some meaning to what he did or... I did not know. I was certain I did not want to understand why he had committed these acts.
He had mutilated her face. It was a cold and callous act, and one that would have taken time. He was not worried about discovery, either though knowing he could escape or some belief that he would not be caught committing the crime. Indeed, the cuts to her eyelids were most carefully made and could not have been rushed.
There was a bone deep cut from the bridge of her nose to the angle at the right side of her jaw. He had made several other cuts to her face – he had removed the tip of her nose, split her upper lip and gum and made two triangular flaps in her cheeks. I had to wonder if the cuts had a ritualistic meaning or if the killer was trying to throw the police off his track.
The killer had cut her throat, severing all the structures to the bone on the left side of her neck. I quirked an eyebrow when I read the carotid artery had a fine hole in it, was this evidence of a fang? The good doctor believed the injuries had been performed by a sharp instrument such as a knife and that it had a point, but this didn't rule out that fangs could have been involved as well. The cause of death was recorded as a haemorrhage – not a surprise when the killer was a vampire.
He had made his usual butchery of her abdomen, slicing through flesh and into the various organs and muscles. Her left kidney had been removed as had her womb, and I didn't want to know why anyone would want to keep those organs. I was relieved that Doctor Brown was of the opinion that she had been dead at the time of the mutilations due to the lack of blood around the body. I had no wish to think of her lying helpless and in agony, unable to even scream as she watched and felt that bloody handed killer carve into her flesh. I supposed I should thank God for that mercy, but I had long given up believing in Him, the horrors I had witnessed in my long life had left me unable to believe in a merciful God.
Enough of my musings, they did nothing to solve this crime. I turned my attention once more to the report and continued to read.
Dr Brown agreed with Dr Phillips that the murderer had a great deal of medical knowledge and that the victim had not struggled, had not tried to save her own life, more indications that the killer was dominating the victims before he drank from them, although it did not cut down my number of suspects. Too many of my fellow vampires had the required knowledge, although I hoped that not many had the cold-bloodedness to commit these murders. Unfortunately, I had to believe that the murderer hide his cold-bloodedness beneath a normal façade – my mind returned to the play I had recently watched. I was obviously dealing with my very own Jekyll and Hyde.
I put the report down and poured myself another glass of blood, sipping it slowly as I looked through the witness statements. I dismissed most as unimportant to my investigation until I came to the statement of one PC James Harvey, 964, of the City of London police. I flicked back to the statement of Joseph Lawende and his companions and checked the time they had seen a couple standing on the corner of Duke Street and Church Passage. Hmmm. It all indicated that PC Harvey had almost caught the murderer in the act. Or possibly even had caught him. I would have to interview him and see if I could detect any traces of domination on him.
The thought that Harvey might have seen the killer's face was intoxicating, but what to report to the Council? I was not willing to mention my suspicions about Harvey to them, for they would take him and attempt to extract the information from him, whether he had truly seen anything or not. No, I would only tell them of the two murders that had been committed this morning. That and ask them when the Seer would finally arrive. Although I would have to try and be most diplomatic, My Lady was not someone to aggravate unnecessarily and I had more sense than to gain her as an enemy merely because I suspected her of... what? She was definitely hiding something that she did not want the Seer to discover, but I could not believe she was involved in the Whitechapel murders. That was too bloody and too obvious... unless she was using the murders as camouflage for some other scheme... I shook my head to scatter those thoughts. I needed to clear my mind of these thoughts before I met the Council.
Speaking of which... I rang the bell and waited for Becker to arrive. “Becker, have Charlie prepare the carriage.”
“At once, sir.” Becker turned to leave and paused as I cleared my throat. “Sir?”
“Have Hattie make up one of her special warming brews, Becker. Charlie may need it when we return.”
“From Black Hall,” Becker intoned solemnly before adding, “I will do so, sir.”
I smiled with satisfaction as Becker left me; he was a good man to have at my side. I poured myself another glass of blood and savoured it. I was not looking forward to my visit and wanted only to be in bed with Ryan. Holding him. Being held by him. “Work comes first, old boy,” I muttered to myself as I walked towards the stables.
It was a gloomy night as Charlie directed the horses down the streets, the sound of their hooves clip-clopping on the cobblestones echoing around me. I could barely see the waning crescent of the moon as it briefly appeared through the clouds. I wrapped my overcoat tighter around me, less from the chill in the air than to the chill of my destination.
I heard the horses neigh and the carriage judder as they reared and danced nervously in their harnesses and knew we were at the forbidding gates of Black Hall. I found myself wishing I could remain here at the gates rather than face the Council and swiftly shook that thought away. I took a deep breath more to calm my nerves than from need. I had done nothing wrong... except not to follow up all the leads, but I could not bring myself to harm an innocent, or at least, a reasonably innocent mortal. I would not be in this position if the Council had acted on my wish for a Seer. Enough! I could not change what had happened and felt there was little point going over what I could have done differently, for I knew full well that I would not have done anything differently, no matter what it would cost me.
However, I found I was still reluctant to enter those dismal walls and stand before the Council. I had nothing to report but another murder, or rather two murders, and to ask once more for the Seer. I knew I was putting off my meeting when I stopped to pat my flecked matched pair and they nuzzled at me. I could not help wonder once more why they panicked at these dread gates but not in my own presence or that of Ryan's.
“Why do you like me, my beauties?” The one of my right nudged my shoulder and I stroked his ear. “I have nothing for you, Deimos. Not yet. Once we are home I will have Charlie give you and Phobos a treat.” I leaned forward and kissed their noses. “Be brave, my beauties, we will be home soon.” At least, I hoped we would.
I gave Deimos one final pat before turning and walking through the gates, feeling the air grow chilled and the black-tinged fog billow around me. The grass was wilted and the trees were bare of leaves. Winter had come to Black Hall early as if sensing the death that lay within.
I tapped the doors with my silver-tipped cane and waited for the butler, idly wondering if he would be the same entity who had greeted my last visit or if he had displeased his employers in some way. The door creaked open to reveal the same rough-hewn butler. He stepped aside to allow me entrance before leading me into the Council chambers.
“What progress have you made?” My Lady's voice was as cold as the grave as she swept into the chamber like an avenging spectre.
“Two more murders have been committed, My Lady. I have not the police report on the first, but the killer is becoming more savage with each attack.”
My Lady sneered at me. “Come to beg for a Seer? Really, James, can you not catch this madman yourself? I always knew you were not the right man for this simple task.”
I knew better than to react to her insult, but it rankled. I bit my tongue as there was little point asking about the Seer. My Lady would not, it appeared, be moved on summoning her with any great haste. I would have to solve this with my own abilities, at least until the other Council members saw sense and the danger her refusal placed us all in.
“Or is it something else?” She circled me as if looking for a weakness. “Is the killer one of your own Line? Perhaps even someone close to you?”
I curbed my desire to turn and tell her she was wrong and not just because it was possible she was not. After all, domination was one of the hallmarks of my Line and the killer possessed that ability. But the main reason I did not defend myself was she would merely take it as proof I did know who the madman was. I had no wish to endure her methods of persuasion if she decided I knew more than I really did. Besides, I could not risk her trying them on Ryan, he might officially be under my protection until he joined vampire society as a full member but I knew that might not protect him from her.
“No answer, James?” My Lady quirked an imperious eyebrow at me. “I grow tired of your presence, leave me.”
I managed to courteously bow to her before I turned on my heels and was away as fast as I could politely leave. That bloody woman. I almost paused at my next thought but managed to keep my tread even. I couldn't help but wonder if her barb was designed to throw my game, if the killer was one of her own for her own Line possessed domination? She would not want me to discover that and would want to deal with it herself. Either destroying the killer or, if he was acting on her orders... well, she might still kill him when his usefulness was at an end. Not that it really mattered, one way or the other. What did matter was that I needed to discover who the madman was, and do so without the aid of a Seer.
“Hwome, Zur Jamez?”
Charlie's voice startled me and I looked up to find myself at the gates, I had not even realised I had left the confines of Black Hall. I paused as I considered my next move. I longed to be back in bed with Ryan, but... My Lady's words echoed around and around in my mind like the accursed Harpies tormented Phineas. I needed to find proof and saw only one way to do so. “No, Charlie. Take me to Mitre Square.”
I found I could not relax on the journey and I felt my temper darken with each minute it took to reach the square. I clambered out and glanced around the darkened area, the faulty lamp had still not been repaired... not a surprise as it was a Sunday, or, as I heard the clock strike 2am, now early Monday. “Leave me, Charlie.”
“'Ees, zur.” Charlie knew better than to argue when I was in this sort of mood and I listened to the steady clip-clopping of my horses' hooves on the cobblestones as Charlie set off home. I pulled my overcoat tight and walked over to examine the murder scene once more. I closed my eyes and concentrated and on opening them again I could see the traces of numerous mortals criss-crossing the area. I could not even see my own vampiric trace so had little hope of detecting that of the killer.
I heard the sound of approaching footsteps and stepped into the shadows, almost merging with them as I used my domination to hide my presence from the approaching policeman. Watkins walked past me and I mused how easy it would have been for the killer to hide himself likewise from the mortals. I could have stepped out and overpowered Watkins in an instant and dominated him into obedience before he could have drawn breath to shout for help. I had no doubt that was how the killer subdued his victims. However, Watkins was not the policeman I was interested in so I allowed him to walk unknowingly past me.
I paused as I tried to remember PC Harvey's beat before crossing the square to Church Passage and then onto Duke Street. I found a shadowy spot to conceal myself in and waited for Harvey to appear on his beat. I did not have long to wait before I heard the sound of approaching boots and sharpened my vision to read the number stitched onto his collar: 964, so this was PC James Harvey. He looked a decent enough fellow.
I followed him as he walked into Church Passage and was on him before he knew I was there. He drew breath to shout for help but I held a hand over his mouth. He struggled but I held him easily as I bore him into the wall and pressed hard against his back as I held him there. His struggles ceased as I dominated his mind. My voice harsh and guttural from my descended fangs, I demanded answers from him. “Tell me of the murder.”
Harvey's voice held the flat, disturbing utterances of one under domination. “I sees nothing.”
I growled softly and felt Harvey instinctively attempt to flinch away from me. His voice held all the signs of someone repeating back the information he had been dominated into believing. I increased my control and felt him shiver under the conflicting demands of two opposing dominations and I could hear his heart racing in his chest as he began to struggle again, drool emerging from his mouth as I felt him convulse against me.
I felt sick. I couldn't believe what I had almost done. I closed my eyes to regain my senses and felt Harvey's convulsions grow. “Shh.” I released my command for him to tell me what he knew and held him until his convulsions ceased. “Calm down. Breathe, just breathe.”
I waited there, still pressing him against the wall, until he stopped convulsing and his heart ceased to pound. I took a deep, calming breath of my own before I leaned close and spoke to him. “You saw nothing unusual and will continue your beat. You will not remember this encounter.”
Harvey's voice was dull as he repeated my words back to me and I stepped back to release him. He shook his head and wiped his mouth before he resumed his beat and I stumbled back into the shadows. I had nearly... damn My Lady and her manipulations. I would not become like her. I turned and almost fled the area, although I made sure to keep to the shadows and away from the view of any mortal. I ran as if the devil himself was after me, and maybe, in that moment of madness, he was.
My mind was in turmoil over what I had nearly done. How close I had come to becoming one of the monsters I opposed. I wandered the dark streets until I found myself overlooking the Thames and stared into its watery depths, musing how many years we had both witnessed as the mortals lived their lives around us and how many we had both killed. I vowed to find the killer and to never descend to the depths of depravity he had. I finally turned my back on the river and slipped away as quiet as the grave to resume my wandering around London, for I was too shaken to return home and to the comfort of Ryan's arms.
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~3170 (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 9 and continues in Part 11.
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.
I woke to the smell of blood as a glass was wafted under my nose. I eagerly grasped it and drank deeply before I opened my eyes. “What time is it, Becker?” I could sense the sun was still up, although low in the sky.
“Nearly five o'clock, sir,” Becker informed me, “I have taken the liberty of having Hattie prepare you breakfast, sir.”
“The reports have arrived?” I sat up and sipped from the glass he had refilled as we had spoken.
“One, sir. I believe from the City of London police.”
I smiled, good old Henry. It would appear that Henry did not want an unsolved murder on his hands and had called in his police surgeon to work on a Sunday. I assumed that the Metropolitan police had decided to preserve the day of rest and I would receive the report tomorrow.
If I was dealing with a vampire as I believed I was, the sooner I could question the witnesses the better. I swallowed the rest of the blood before beginning my ablutions. I left Ryan sleeping as I retired to my study and I had to smile as I found a full breakfast waiting for me at my desk. My papers had been tidied carefully out of the way and it was the first time I had seen the scruffy green leather top of my desk for many months. I set about my meal with gusto, cleaning the plate and drinking down another glass of blood to fortify me for my reading.
I quickly flicked through the report to find the autopsy and leafed through that to the medical examination of the body. I could not stop the shudder that passed through my body as I read Doctor Brown's most thorough notes and tried to understand how the killer could have committed this crime, any of the murders. Was there some meaning to what he did or... I did not know. I was certain I did not want to understand why he had committed these acts.
He had mutilated her face. It was a cold and callous act, and one that would have taken time. He was not worried about discovery, either though knowing he could escape or some belief that he would not be caught committing the crime. Indeed, the cuts to her eyelids were most carefully made and could not have been rushed.
There was a bone deep cut from the bridge of her nose to the angle at the right side of her jaw. He had made several other cuts to her face – he had removed the tip of her nose, split her upper lip and gum and made two triangular flaps in her cheeks. I had to wonder if the cuts had a ritualistic meaning or if the killer was trying to throw the police off his track.
The killer had cut her throat, severing all the structures to the bone on the left side of her neck. I quirked an eyebrow when I read the carotid artery had a fine hole in it, was this evidence of a fang? The good doctor believed the injuries had been performed by a sharp instrument such as a knife and that it had a point, but this didn't rule out that fangs could have been involved as well. The cause of death was recorded as a haemorrhage – not a surprise when the killer was a vampire.
He had made his usual butchery of her abdomen, slicing through flesh and into the various organs and muscles. Her left kidney had been removed as had her womb, and I didn't want to know why anyone would want to keep those organs. I was relieved that Doctor Brown was of the opinion that she had been dead at the time of the mutilations due to the lack of blood around the body. I had no wish to think of her lying helpless and in agony, unable to even scream as she watched and felt that bloody handed killer carve into her flesh. I supposed I should thank God for that mercy, but I had long given up believing in Him, the horrors I had witnessed in my long life had left me unable to believe in a merciful God.
Enough of my musings, they did nothing to solve this crime. I turned my attention once more to the report and continued to read.
Dr Brown agreed with Dr Phillips that the murderer had a great deal of medical knowledge and that the victim had not struggled, had not tried to save her own life, more indications that the killer was dominating the victims before he drank from them, although it did not cut down my number of suspects. Too many of my fellow vampires had the required knowledge, although I hoped that not many had the cold-bloodedness to commit these murders. Unfortunately, I had to believe that the murderer hide his cold-bloodedness beneath a normal façade – my mind returned to the play I had recently watched. I was obviously dealing with my very own Jekyll and Hyde.
I put the report down and poured myself another glass of blood, sipping it slowly as I looked through the witness statements. I dismissed most as unimportant to my investigation until I came to the statement of one PC James Harvey, 964, of the City of London police. I flicked back to the statement of Joseph Lawende and his companions and checked the time they had seen a couple standing on the corner of Duke Street and Church Passage. Hmmm. It all indicated that PC Harvey had almost caught the murderer in the act. Or possibly even had caught him. I would have to interview him and see if I could detect any traces of domination on him.
The thought that Harvey might have seen the killer's face was intoxicating, but what to report to the Council? I was not willing to mention my suspicions about Harvey to them, for they would take him and attempt to extract the information from him, whether he had truly seen anything or not. No, I would only tell them of the two murders that had been committed this morning. That and ask them when the Seer would finally arrive. Although I would have to try and be most diplomatic, My Lady was not someone to aggravate unnecessarily and I had more sense than to gain her as an enemy merely because I suspected her of... what? She was definitely hiding something that she did not want the Seer to discover, but I could not believe she was involved in the Whitechapel murders. That was too bloody and too obvious... unless she was using the murders as camouflage for some other scheme... I shook my head to scatter those thoughts. I needed to clear my mind of these thoughts before I met the Council.
Speaking of which... I rang the bell and waited for Becker to arrive. “Becker, have Charlie prepare the carriage.”
“At once, sir.” Becker turned to leave and paused as I cleared my throat. “Sir?”
“Have Hattie make up one of her special warming brews, Becker. Charlie may need it when we return.”
“From Black Hall,” Becker intoned solemnly before adding, “I will do so, sir.”
I smiled with satisfaction as Becker left me; he was a good man to have at my side. I poured myself another glass of blood and savoured it. I was not looking forward to my visit and wanted only to be in bed with Ryan. Holding him. Being held by him. “Work comes first, old boy,” I muttered to myself as I walked towards the stables.
****
It was a gloomy night as Charlie directed the horses down the streets, the sound of their hooves clip-clopping on the cobblestones echoing around me. I could barely see the waning crescent of the moon as it briefly appeared through the clouds. I wrapped my overcoat tighter around me, less from the chill in the air than to the chill of my destination.
I heard the horses neigh and the carriage judder as they reared and danced nervously in their harnesses and knew we were at the forbidding gates of Black Hall. I found myself wishing I could remain here at the gates rather than face the Council and swiftly shook that thought away. I took a deep breath more to calm my nerves than from need. I had done nothing wrong... except not to follow up all the leads, but I could not bring myself to harm an innocent, or at least, a reasonably innocent mortal. I would not be in this position if the Council had acted on my wish for a Seer. Enough! I could not change what had happened and felt there was little point going over what I could have done differently, for I knew full well that I would not have done anything differently, no matter what it would cost me.
However, I found I was still reluctant to enter those dismal walls and stand before the Council. I had nothing to report but another murder, or rather two murders, and to ask once more for the Seer. I knew I was putting off my meeting when I stopped to pat my flecked matched pair and they nuzzled at me. I could not help wonder once more why they panicked at these dread gates but not in my own presence or that of Ryan's.
“Why do you like me, my beauties?” The one of my right nudged my shoulder and I stroked his ear. “I have nothing for you, Deimos. Not yet. Once we are home I will have Charlie give you and Phobos a treat.” I leaned forward and kissed their noses. “Be brave, my beauties, we will be home soon.” At least, I hoped we would.
I gave Deimos one final pat before turning and walking through the gates, feeling the air grow chilled and the black-tinged fog billow around me. The grass was wilted and the trees were bare of leaves. Winter had come to Black Hall early as if sensing the death that lay within.
I tapped the doors with my silver-tipped cane and waited for the butler, idly wondering if he would be the same entity who had greeted my last visit or if he had displeased his employers in some way. The door creaked open to reveal the same rough-hewn butler. He stepped aside to allow me entrance before leading me into the Council chambers.
“What progress have you made?” My Lady's voice was as cold as the grave as she swept into the chamber like an avenging spectre.
“Two more murders have been committed, My Lady. I have not the police report on the first, but the killer is becoming more savage with each attack.”
My Lady sneered at me. “Come to beg for a Seer? Really, James, can you not catch this madman yourself? I always knew you were not the right man for this simple task.”
I knew better than to react to her insult, but it rankled. I bit my tongue as there was little point asking about the Seer. My Lady would not, it appeared, be moved on summoning her with any great haste. I would have to solve this with my own abilities, at least until the other Council members saw sense and the danger her refusal placed us all in.
“Or is it something else?” She circled me as if looking for a weakness. “Is the killer one of your own Line? Perhaps even someone close to you?”
I curbed my desire to turn and tell her she was wrong and not just because it was possible she was not. After all, domination was one of the hallmarks of my Line and the killer possessed that ability. But the main reason I did not defend myself was she would merely take it as proof I did know who the madman was. I had no wish to endure her methods of persuasion if she decided I knew more than I really did. Besides, I could not risk her trying them on Ryan, he might officially be under my protection until he joined vampire society as a full member but I knew that might not protect him from her.
“No answer, James?” My Lady quirked an imperious eyebrow at me. “I grow tired of your presence, leave me.”
I managed to courteously bow to her before I turned on my heels and was away as fast as I could politely leave. That bloody woman. I almost paused at my next thought but managed to keep my tread even. I couldn't help but wonder if her barb was designed to throw my game, if the killer was one of her own for her own Line possessed domination? She would not want me to discover that and would want to deal with it herself. Either destroying the killer or, if he was acting on her orders... well, she might still kill him when his usefulness was at an end. Not that it really mattered, one way or the other. What did matter was that I needed to discover who the madman was, and do so without the aid of a Seer.
“Hwome, Zur Jamez?”
Charlie's voice startled me and I looked up to find myself at the gates, I had not even realised I had left the confines of Black Hall. I paused as I considered my next move. I longed to be back in bed with Ryan, but... My Lady's words echoed around and around in my mind like the accursed Harpies tormented Phineas. I needed to find proof and saw only one way to do so. “No, Charlie. Take me to Mitre Square.”
I found I could not relax on the journey and I felt my temper darken with each minute it took to reach the square. I clambered out and glanced around the darkened area, the faulty lamp had still not been repaired... not a surprise as it was a Sunday, or, as I heard the clock strike 2am, now early Monday. “Leave me, Charlie.”
“'Ees, zur.” Charlie knew better than to argue when I was in this sort of mood and I listened to the steady clip-clopping of my horses' hooves on the cobblestones as Charlie set off home. I pulled my overcoat tight and walked over to examine the murder scene once more. I closed my eyes and concentrated and on opening them again I could see the traces of numerous mortals criss-crossing the area. I could not even see my own vampiric trace so had little hope of detecting that of the killer.
I heard the sound of approaching footsteps and stepped into the shadows, almost merging with them as I used my domination to hide my presence from the approaching policeman. Watkins walked past me and I mused how easy it would have been for the killer to hide himself likewise from the mortals. I could have stepped out and overpowered Watkins in an instant and dominated him into obedience before he could have drawn breath to shout for help. I had no doubt that was how the killer subdued his victims. However, Watkins was not the policeman I was interested in so I allowed him to walk unknowingly past me.
I paused as I tried to remember PC Harvey's beat before crossing the square to Church Passage and then onto Duke Street. I found a shadowy spot to conceal myself in and waited for Harvey to appear on his beat. I did not have long to wait before I heard the sound of approaching boots and sharpened my vision to read the number stitched onto his collar: 964, so this was PC James Harvey. He looked a decent enough fellow.
I followed him as he walked into Church Passage and was on him before he knew I was there. He drew breath to shout for help but I held a hand over his mouth. He struggled but I held him easily as I bore him into the wall and pressed hard against his back as I held him there. His struggles ceased as I dominated his mind. My voice harsh and guttural from my descended fangs, I demanded answers from him. “Tell me of the murder.”
Harvey's voice held the flat, disturbing utterances of one under domination. “I sees nothing.”
I growled softly and felt Harvey instinctively attempt to flinch away from me. His voice held all the signs of someone repeating back the information he had been dominated into believing. I increased my control and felt him shiver under the conflicting demands of two opposing dominations and I could hear his heart racing in his chest as he began to struggle again, drool emerging from his mouth as I felt him convulse against me.
I felt sick. I couldn't believe what I had almost done. I closed my eyes to regain my senses and felt Harvey's convulsions grow. “Shh.” I released my command for him to tell me what he knew and held him until his convulsions ceased. “Calm down. Breathe, just breathe.”
I waited there, still pressing him against the wall, until he stopped convulsing and his heart ceased to pound. I took a deep, calming breath of my own before I leaned close and spoke to him. “You saw nothing unusual and will continue your beat. You will not remember this encounter.”
Harvey's voice was dull as he repeated my words back to me and I stepped back to release him. He shook his head and wiped his mouth before he resumed his beat and I stumbled back into the shadows. I had nearly... damn My Lady and her manipulations. I would not become like her. I turned and almost fled the area, although I made sure to keep to the shadows and away from the view of any mortal. I ran as if the devil himself was after me, and maybe, in that moment of madness, he was.
My mind was in turmoil over what I had nearly done. How close I had come to becoming one of the monsters I opposed. I wandered the dark streets until I found myself overlooking the Thames and stared into its watery depths, musing how many years we had both witnessed as the mortals lived their lives around us and how many we had both killed. I vowed to find the killer and to never descend to the depths of depravity he had. I finally turned my back on the river and slipped away as quiet as the grave to resume my wandering around London, for I was too shaken to return home and to the comfort of Ryan's arms.
Tags:
- angst,
- au,
- bloodverse series,
- dark themes,
- fic,
- james lester,
- lester/ryan,
- ocs,
- rps,
- slash,
- tom ryan,
- vampire
no subject
Date: 2012-06-03 08:56 am (UTC)An amazing chapter.
no subject
Date: 2012-06-03 03:37 pm (UTC)Thanks, glad you liked it.