Chapter 8: Apocrypha

Too many things aren't making sense. And there is only one place Kaileena can go to find answers.

The scream that echoed from the depths of the entrance was enough to send chills through the throng of men waiting outside. Some of them even fled the scene while others became white as a sheet. Even the vampire lord, who was waiting for the dhampir to return with the results of her examination, felt as though an icy lump had settled in his stomach. But he did not run. It would bring shame upon the Dracului if he were to flee from something as important as a murder investigation. Steeling his nerves against the torrent of emotion that scream held, he pushed his way through the crown of men and proceeded into the priest’s residence. The smell of young blood hit him hard but he did not let his baser instincts control him. He had to see where that bloodcurdling scream had originated from.

The screaming had ceased just as suddenly as it had begun. He dipped his hand into his coat and drew the pistol he had concealed. It was not customary for vampires to carry silver bullets, but it was better than spending a month regenerating from near-fatal wounds. Or dying, on the rare occasion. He turned the corner, expecting to see some hideous beast lash out at him with talons sharper than a surgeon’s scalpel.

Instead all he found was the dhampir, kneeling on the ground with her head in her hands. He sighed and stowed the gun away, a little annoyed at the unnecessary scare.

“And what do you think you’re doing just sitting there?” he demanded, irritation in his voice. “You’re supposed to be examining the crime scene for evidence of the attacker. Not scaring us half to death with that horrible screech-“

A flash of black and a stinging pain on the left side of his face. He put his hand to his face and pulled it away. Blood stained his fingertips. Vincent raised his eyes to scold the Hunter when the woman came at him faster than he could react. He was bowled off his feet and landed hard on the bloody floor. Her eyes were wild and her fangs were bared in an animalistic snarl. He could not see a glimmer of humanity within that face. She was nothing more than a beast. She swiped at his face, leaving another series of scratches and he rolled her off of him. Pinning her down, he glared at the dhampir who was gnashing her teeth and hissing like a common alley cat.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” he growled and slapped her across the face. The stinging impact didn’t faze her and she made to swipe at his throat. He seized her wrist and held her fast. It would seem common sense was not going to win out here. Then he caught a glimpse of her exposed wrist and frowned. There was a strange tattoo imprinted there. The same one he saw when Kaileena had shown that vampire informant. He didn’t know the significance of that crest, but something about the mark gnawed at him. As though he’d seen it before.

The distraction cost him. She took advantage of his diverted attention and sank her teeth into his hand. He roared in agony and leaped back from the dhampir who rose to her feet in one fluid movement. Free from his grip, she lunged at the vampire, ready to take him down for the kill.

But something flashed in the corner of her eyes and they darted towards the corpse. A small silver cross was dangling from the dead woman’s hand. It was crusted with blood, but she could still see the inscription.

To my darling little one.

 

“Mother?” The word croaked out from the Hunter’s lips and she fell to her knees. The crazed look left her eyes and her beauty was restored. She glanced at the crest on her wrist, staring blankly as though not seeing it. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind and she covered the mark before raising her eyes towards the vampire lord. Vincent eyed her warily, his hand inside his coat as though he was just reaching for the gun concealed there. A frown was etched deep into his brow and then she noted the scratches on his face and the large bite wound on his left hand. She tasted blood and then glanced to the butchered woman on the alter. She stared at the mark etched into the crook of the elbow. She didn’t know what had just come over her, but it would seem that she had complete control of herself again.

“What……? What did I just do?” she muttered the question more to herself than the vampire in front of her. Vincent misinterpreted the tone.

“What did you just do?” he repeated. “You just did this to me!” He brandished his injured hand in front of her eyes. She shook her head slightly and glared at him.

“I just noticed that,” she growled, rising to her feet and brushing herself off. She rotated her neck and walked over to the body, examining it more closely.
“Have you gone mad?” the vampire demanded. “You attacked me like a crazed animal when I came down here to see why you were screaming like a banshee. Is this some kind of sick joke you’re playing? Because I for one am not amused!”

“There is something wrong with this body,” she said, her hands trailing over the butchered corpse. Her eyes were searching intently, looking for something out of place that should not have been there.

“Are you listening to me?” growled Vincent. “When I demand answers, I will not be ignored.” He grabbed the dhampir’s arm firmly and shook her angrily. “What the hell has gotten into you? Answer me!”

“I don’t know!” snapped Kaileena, roughly shoving him away. “I don’t know why I attacked you. My mind went blank. Something triggered this.”

“Oh, and where might this alleged trigger be?” the vampire lord asked sardonically. She opened her mouth to retort when something suddenly jolted her memory. She turned her attention back to the mark on the woman’s elbow and circled the alter, kneeling down on the other side. She lifted the arm slightly and examined the carved symbol closely. Something glinting in the crude incision caught her eye. Pulling out a pair of tiny forceps, she dipped them into the cut and pulled out a tiny fragment of silvery metal. Something about this material tugged at the inner recesses of her mind and she shook her head roughly. Pulling a small empty vial from her coat, she placed the metal shard inside and capped it. Rising to her feet, she held the vial in front of Vincent’s face.

“That?” He stared dubiously. “That tiny sliver of metal is the trigger?”

“I don’t know how to explain it,” she said. “But just looking at this is straining my control and my normal barriers. I believe this may have caused my attack.”

“Magick?”

“I’m not sure. But something about this is putting me on edge.”

“Is that why you screamed?”

“…..” Kaileena’s eyes clouded over and memories swam before her eyes. Vincent frowned.

“Kaileena?”

She shook her head roughly. Now was not the time to remember nightmares. “Nothing.” She glanced at the body. “Judging by the butchery displayed here, this woman was killed last night. Possibly three a.m. The head and heart are missing. Same as the other victim.”

“So you’re certain this is the same killer?” Vincent glanced at the corpse.

“Yes, but this time he was more organised. He had time to carry this out. Which means he planned to come to this place.”

“What makes you so sure?”

“This church is never used anymore. It’s just a historical landmark. And no one in their right mind would come at night to see a ruined church for the sake of history.”

The vampire lord nodded. She had a good point. “So what do we do now?”

Kaileena glanced at the shard of metal in the vial. “We’ll need to run tests on this. Just to rule out the possibility of chemical-induced interference.”

“Our job is to investigate these murders. Not experiment on sources of alleged mind control.”

“I wasn’t asking you to test this,” she snapped at him. “I’ll do that on my own. But there is nothing else to be gained using my expertise. I’m done with this site.” She brushed past the vampire lord and walked out of the old residence. Vincent glared after her before glancing back at the body. He approached the corpse and leaned over to inspect the dead woman’s arm. He frowned at the symbol there. An elaborate cross. Then the mark on the dhampir’s wrist came to mind.

She knows something. He turned on his heel and rushed outside, determined to question Kaileena about the mark.

But the dhampir was already gone.

 

Damn her! He gritted his teeth in irritation. The woman was already starting to get on his nerves. But there was no use fuming about it now. The attack was still fresh in his mind and he frowned to himself. Something had triggered her. But what? In spite of what he’d told the dhampir, he was just as curious about that sliver of metal as she was. But with the Hunter gone, he couldn’t retrieve the sample. Not when she would be keen on avoiding him. And as much as he hated to admit it, Kaileena was adept at making herself disappear from the grid.

Ordering the men to gather what evidence they could find, he walked back to the black Mercedes waiting for him in the church courtyard. The driver opened the door for him and he slid into the back seat, welcoming the shutting of the door. Vincent glanced at the old tome on the back seat and rested his hand on the silver cross on the cover. It made his skin tingle but it didn’t burn him. The blessed relic had lost its repelling power centuries ago. He was tempted to open the old journal, but he shook his head. He had something else to attend to first.

“Where to, my Lord?” the driver asked from the front seat. Vincent though about that for a moment.

“Take me to Severyn’s house. I have business to conduct there.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Within a matter of moments, the car had pulled out of the courtyard and disappeared into the haze of the London fog.

                       ~*~

Kaileena slipped into the darkness of London’s underground. The vial containing the sliver of metal she’d extracted was tucked safely in her coat pocket. And her mind. She couldn’t explain what had happened, but the moment she saw that mark carved into the dead woman’s arm she had been thrown into the nightmare of her memories. It was as though she’d been hi-jacked from reality and placed there to weaken her mental and emotional state, rendering her vulnerable to outside manipulation. And the wounds on Vincent’s face and hand only seemed to confirm this suspicion. But she needed more proof. And there was only one place to find it.

She descended the stairway and came out on the other side to a whole other world. Neon lights flickered incessantly, on the verge of short-circuiting altogether. Grimy windows peered out onto the makeshift streets, the girls behind them nude and waving their tails or other anomalies to the passing crowds. Horns, scales and fur glistened and gleamed in the dim lights that still lit the tunnels. And stores and taverns of every kind lined the cinderblock roads, some of them guarded by burly creatures that had cut their shirts to allow their spines or fins to protrude from their clothing.

London’s underground was a haven for demons.

Ever since the rioters of the last Bloody Sunday had blown up most of the old subway, the tunnels had fallen into disrepair. But when demons and the like needed a place to hide themselves from the world, these ruined passages became their way of life. They’d patched the holes, rewired the circuits and even went so far as to install plumbing for the small houses and huts that inhabited this concealed world. In their own way, they had made the remains of a mortal hell into a demonic paradise.

But even after this haven had been established, the solution to conceal it from human eyes because the next priority. So they collapsed most of the tunnel entrances, keeping four in use so they could come and go as they pleased. And those entrances were located in derelict areas where no mortal would dare tread for fear of being sliced in half. The demon inhabitants of London had spread an impressive amount of horror tales to keep the human populace on their toes.

So like the vampires and the humans owned the world on the surface, the demons roamed the subterranean depths known to them as Apocrypha. But still that didn’t stop some hunters from venturing inside to claim handsome bounties. Problem was, none returned from those forays. Even vampires were unwelcome in this place. Kaileena knew that from the last time she ventured into these parts. She had been on the trail of a vicious breed of harpy that a vampire psychopath had used to hunt and kill the students leaving their finishing schools. It had been a gruesome task which last several months, but she had destroyed the breed and the vampire controlling them. Even though it had been one hundred and seventy years since that hunt, she still did not want to remember how close a harpy had been to eating her face.

 

The dhampir slipped into the crowd easily, her scent masked by the pheromones she had sprayed on herself before coming down here. The reek of chimera pheromones was enough to make her gag, but at least she would not have to worry about her scent being recognised. Like all animals, demons, humans and vampires had their own particular scents. Even dhampirs carried a certain pheromone that was singular from either vampire or mortal. But demon noses were far keener than both species and dhampir scents were easily recognised. But since vampires liked studying the anatomy of their foes to discover weaknesses, it had been far too easy for Kaileena to obtain a bottle of the pheromones she needed to mask her presence.

She turned the corner of the fifth street and came to the entrance of a dark and metropolitan tavern called Lachrymose. It was just the place she had been searching for. This was good because she could get two things at this place; blood pills and information. Not bothering to look at the burly werewolf guarding the door, she ventured inside. 

 

It was as busy as she expected it to be. Demons of all shapes and size were milling around the stage, drinking and dining while watching the hypnotic dance of the Serpentine Sisters, a group of lamia women that were very popular in the deeper parts of India.  Some of them were catcalling to them, eager for some backstage action after the performance and the redhead of the sextet seemed more than happy to indulge their fantasies with every movement of her gyrating hips. The dhampir paid no attention to the act, crossing over to the bar and standing at the far end. The bartender turned to face her, her golden slitted eyes widening in surprise.

“Kitten? Is that you?” the woman cried, her voice a high-pitched but pleasant trill. She asked her co-worker to cover for her and slipped out from behind the bar. She hugged the dhampir tightly, her ears pricked up happily and her black tail swishing back and forth in excitement.

“It’s good to see you, Mau,” Kaileena smiled. “You’re shedding less, I see.”

“Yeah, finally got all that stress out of my system.” Mau preened a little, brushing her glossy black hair away from her face, her claws extending and retracting as she stretched out her fingers. Mau was a cat demon and Kaileena’s best friend. The dhampir had stumbled across her when Mau had been working as a clerk in a newt juice store. Kitten was the demon’s nickname for the dhampir, due to a joke she’d shared with Kaileena years ago about vampires being the lions of the demon world and dhampirs being their playful offspring. The dhampir hadn’t liked that comparison but had found the nickname endearing when it came from Mau.

“What are you doing down here? I thought you weren’t coming back.”  Mau’s nose twitched and she glared at her bar mate. “Not so much worchestershire sauce in the Bloody Mary! I told you that before.” She rolled her eyes and turned back to Kaileena.

“I need some answers,” the dhampir said. She pulled out the vial and showed it to Mau. “This was imbedded in the arm of a woman that was murdered last night. But I can’t find anything on it on the surface.”

“Well, I have no idea, Kitten.” Mau shook her head regretfully. Kaileena sighed.

“Then I need to talk to him.”

Mau’s eyes widened and her ears laid flat against her head. “Are you crazy?! You know what he’s like.”

“I know. But he’s the only one who can give me answers.”

Mau sighed. “Ok, I’ll tell him you’re here. But if he gets mad, it’s on your head, not mine.”

“I know. Thanks, Mau.” The dhampir watched the cat demon disappeared into the door behind her and leaned against the wall. She watched the performance on stage, mildly impressed by their flexibility but thoroughly disgusted when they teased the males milling around the stage. She didn’t have long to mull over that for Mau quickly returned, looking relieved but no less worried

“He’ll see you now. Be careful, ok?”

“Mau, it’s me.”

“That’s what I meant.”

Kaileena laughed. “Ok, I will.” With that, she walked through the door behind her friend and walked down the hall. She stopped in front of a polished redwood door with an elaborate brass handle shaped like a crow’s wing. She sighed. She hated doing this but he was the only one who had the answers to what she was looking for. She pushed down the handle and went inside.

 

The room was lavishly decorated with damask furniture and intricately carved designs. It looked like something straight out of one of those mansions from the Victorian era. She caught a glimpse of a staircase leading up to the second floor. But there did not seem to be anyone there to greet her.

“I know you’re here somewhere,” she said evenly. No response at first. Then a deep baritone voice rumbled through the room.

“You certainly spoil the fun.” The voice led her gaze towards the black crow sitting on one of the chairs on the left side. “What is a game without entertainment and thrills?”

“I didn’t come to speak to your pet, Nevermore.” Her eyes narrowed. “I need answers.”

A flash of black diverted her attention to the stairway. A tall man with slightly wild hair and dressed in a fine black suit stood on the landing. Eyes of pure carnelian fixated upon her, a smirk curving his soft lips. His features were both demonic and angelic in their set and tendrils of black hair fell into his face. Black, well manicured nails gleamed in the light and she could discern the upside-down pentagram tattooed on the back of his left hand. She was suddenly reminded of her favourite character from the manga she read and then she glared at him.

“Have you been reading my mind again?” she growled. Nevermore merely smirked.

“I don’t know what you mean, my dear Kaileena.” He descended the stairway and rested his hand upon the crow’s head. The bird nuzzled him gently before flying to its perch above the clock in the centre of the room.

“There is only one other person that looks like you do and he exists only in fiction,” the dhampir stated flatly. The demon only laughed.

“Kaileena, I believe you are deluding yourself. I do not read minds as you very well know. Only impressions reflected within the souls of those who come into my presence.”

Kaileena grit her teeth. She knew about that, but it didn’t stop her thinking that he could do more than he was saying, Nevermore was one of the most powerful demons in Apocrypha, and tales of him were only whispered in the human world. He did not feed on the flesh or the blood of humans for sustenance, but his source of nourishment made him far more dangerous than tales dared to tell.

Nevermore was one of the last Soul Devils to exist. But he didn’t hunt for any ordinary soul. He considered himself a connoisseur, searching for the most vulnerable and pure souls to sate his palette. It was like ambrosia to him. But the problem was, there was only one soul he was interested in at this point in time. He eyed with a sly expression, his crimson gaze travelling up and down her lithe frame.

“Since you have risked venturing into the depths of this humble community, it is quite clear that you require something from me.” The demon’s eyes glowed a faint magenta before approaching the dhampir. Kaileena merely stood there, warily watching his every move. Even though, he had said he would not force himself upon her, she still got chills when he circled her form. He was like his pet, a raven circling his prey. Waiting for the time when she would succumb to weakness and offer herself to him. She took great pride in her skills as a Vampire Hunter, but she always felt that this was a creature that surpassed her in strength and speed. And his cunning was legendary among his kind. Luring his prey with sweet words and worrying at their psyche until they were nothing but puppets in his skilled grasp. Of all the demons she had ever encountered, Nevermore was one she could not underestimate.

Nevermore stopped just behind the Hunter, brushing her hair away from her neck and leaning into her. His eyes slid shut as he breathed in her scent, and from the look of longing and rapture upon his features it was clear chimera pheromones was not going to mask what he wanted from her. “Your scent is as intoxicating as always. Spicy, sweet, but yet bitter at the same time. Such a pure, multi-faceted soul.” His eyes slowly opened, revealing slits surrounded by that magenta glow. Kaileena glared at him, her defences raised and her patience running out.

“I did not come here to be drooled over like some rare morsel, Nevermore,” she stated flatly. The demon laughed and stepped around her, his black-nailed hand gliding across her jaw before gripping her chin. She stared at him squarely, not showing any fear in her eyes. He studied her intently for a few seconds before releasing her, that smirk still upon his face.

“You certainly grow bolder every time you come before me. You continue to impress me, my Lady. But I suppose we can save the games for later.” He bowed low in apology. She did not accept it. He knew how to turn a situation to his advantage with a skilled set of words. But she was just as adept at turning the tables when it suited her. She pulled out the vial containing the sliver of metal and held it before his eyes.

 

“I extracted this from a carving on a dead woman’s flesh,” she began, her tone vested with gravity and authority. Even in the presence of a master manipulator, she did not bow under the pressure. Nevermore’s gaze fixated upon the metal shard, the glow in his eyes fading and his pupils returning to normal. He took the vial from her and turned it slowly in his hands. The smirk had vanished and a frown etched his smooth brow as he continued his observation. After several moments, he shot a look at the dhampir. “What happened when you saw this?”

“I didn’t see it at first. It was embedded in a symbol carved into body. After I saw the mark, I lost all mental and psychic restraint. I attacked my partner on the crime scene without even knowing.” Kaileena did not voice the description of the mark. She didn’t feel she was ready to endure another assault of memories. Nevermore nodded very slowly before glancing at the fragment again.

“You’re familiar with this?” At the sound of the dhampir’s question, the demon leaned back and pressed a switch hidden behind a vase. The table in the centre of the room turned over and vanished into the floor, revealing a large silvery stone encased in glass. Kaileena gasped as she felt the immense pull at her mind and she shook her head roughly to rid herself of the frightening sensation. Nevermore smirked slightly.

“Irresistable, isn’t it?” He set the vial upon the glass case. The shard within began to glow with a cold blue light. And the stone glowed in response! Kaileena stared at the stone, straining to keep control of her mind and thoughts. Nevermore stood next to the case, watching her every reaction. Suddenly, a singular thought entered her mind, overwhelming everything else. She did not know where it came from, but it was compelling her to give into the demon, free herself of the burden of her life and enter into bliss that was unworthy of mortals to partake in. She felt herself moving forward, numbly approaching Nevermore who stood there smirking broadly. He enveloped her in his grasp, grasping her chin and gazing into her eyes. She couldn’t do anything, couldn’t pull away, couldn’t protest. She was merely numb. Nevermore leaned into her and pressed his lips against her mouth, pushing his tongue between her teeth and she responded. Her eyes slid shut and he gripped her tightly, exploring her mouth with fervent desire. He wasn’t taking her soul, but the action seemed to ignite the fire in her brain that was her own conscious. It screamed at her with a bestial urgency. Her eyes flew upon and she pushed him away roughly, staggering back and gasping as though she’d run a marathon. Nevermore looked surprised but a smirk curved his lips once again.

 

“You were able to fight it, even though you were completely at my mercy.” He chuckled and gazed at her fondly. “You indeed have a worthy soul.”

Kaileena wiped her mouth on her sleeve and glared at him. “What the hell did you just do to me?” she snarled, very pissed off at the demon. Her hands were shaking and her legs felt like jelly. She couldn’t believe what had just happened. And she couldn’t help but surmise that the stone present in the room was partially responsible. Nevermore’s smirk widened and he picked up the vial once more.

“This is a special metal called Lilith’s Call. It’s an ore that was unearthed from beneath the realms of Eden millennia ago and has been said to be constructed when Lilith’s tears fell upon the earth during the temptation of Adam. The properties of this ore are designed solely to latch onto the mind of an unsuspecting victim and allow the user to implant a mental suggestion. Thus controlling them and manipulating them to their heart’s desires.”

“So it makes them their puppet,” said Kaileena coldly. Nevermore nodded.

“However, this is not a commonplace ore, even in the demon ore. You can’t simply find it in the shaft of a gold mine or in a river. There is only one place in the world left that still has stores of this and that is the mines in the Carpathian Mountains. It’s also very difficult to nullify its power. As you have already found out, if a particularly vulnerable mind is presented to this ore, it will latch onto the victim’s subconscious and delve into your memories to find something that will trigger a complete breakdown in your mental defences.” The demon looked at Kaileena gravely. The dhampir glared at him.

“What do you mean? I’m in no way vulnerable!” she spat the words at him angrily. But Nevermore was not swayed.

“You witnessed her slaughter, Kaileena. You have seen horrors that no human or demon could dare dream of. The fact that you still pursue her after all this time is a clear indication that the memories still have a great influence on you.”

Kaileena stared blankly. She didn’t take that into account at all. She had always used her memories to fuel her rage and her resolve when she hunted vampires and the like. But never did she suspect that those memories could be used against her. She glared at the demon. “Is there anyway to break free from the call?”

“It is very difficult to break the hold once it’s been placed,” replied Nevermore. “However, there is a way to resist it. At least for a while.” The demon crossed over to a large display of artefacts by the clock. Extending a nail into a talon, he dipped the spine into a small lock, flicking down slightly. The glass slid open and he pulled out a silver chain with a large crimson pendant hanging from it. The stone was a deep, hypnotic shade of red and he approached the dhampir once more. She glared at him, prepared to attack him if he came near her. But he vanished in a blur of black and his voice resounded in her ear.

“This pendant was worn by a vampire centuries ago to eliminate any suggestion made by Lilith’s Call.” Nevermore brushed her hair away from her neck and fastened the chain skilfully. She glanced down at the stone and it pulsed with a dark glow before it became dormant once more. She looked at the demon that had slipped out from behind her.

“And this will help me resist it?”

“Yes, but there is a time limit.” The demon tapped the stone that now hung at her chest. “Once the stone is activated, it will pulse with that glow you just saw for ten minutes. It will give you ample time to either escape from the vicinity or, most likely in your case, destroy the source of the suggestion. But it is not entirely foolproof. If you waver and your mind crumbles under the assault, even this stone will not help you.” Nevermore gripped her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. “You must steel your mind, Kaileena. Otherwise you may be manipulated to the enemy’s advantage.”

“You don’t need to remind me,” she growled, pushing his hand away from her face. She turned her back on him and started to walk to the door. A flurry of black feathers assailed her vision and the demon stood before her once again, barring her path. She tensed, wondering if he was going to break his word. But Nevermore merely smirked and slipped his hand into her coat. She opened her mouth to protest but then felt the cold weight in her inside pocket. The demon chuckled.

“You forgot this.”  He grabbed her again, taking advantage of her startled state and pressed his lips fiercely into her mouth. After a brief moment, he pulled away and vanished in a blur of shadow and feathers. She whirled around, drawing her dagger to strike him. But the only thing left of his presence was the deep baritone voice.

“Until we meet again, my Lady.”

She turned her attention to the crow still perched on the clock. The bird merely cawed before flying upstairs. She growled low in her throat and opened the door, leaving the room and the events that had just transpired behind. She had her answers. Now it was time to return to the surface. Perhaps they had found some clear links to the perpetrator of these heinous crimes. Tucking the crimson pendant into her coat, she walked out to the bar to say goodbye to Mau. The words of Nevermore echoed in her head and she roughly shoved the thoughts back into her mind.

 

It can’t be helped. He may be a sly b*****d, but he gave me what I needed. She pressed her hand to her chest, feeling the pendant beneath and the vial tucked away in her coat pocket. The cat demon was waiting for her outside and hugged her tightly, relieved the dhampir was unharmed. Kaileena hugged her friend and they exchanged their goodbyes before she made her way back to the surface. Even though she was sad to bid her friend farewell, in her heart she hoped to the gods that watched over that this would be the last time she went to Apocrypha.