Chapter 10: Mark of Death

 

 

Jade glistened as she turned the red stone in her hands. It glowed slightly in response to the sliver of metal on her coffee table, as though it sensed the malicious intent within the fragment. Even now she could feel the pull of the shard, compelling her to give into its orders utterly and completely. Kaileena shook her head roughly to clear it and slipped the stone into her shirt. Nevermore had said the stone would protect her, but only if her will was strong and did not waver. Considering the last encounter with Lilith’s Call, she was unsure if she could withstand another assault on her mind. The event played over and over in her head, no matter how much she tried to push it away. The scent of blood, the torn remains of the woman’s body, what Vincent had told her when she came out of her trance. All of them were pieces to a highly convoluted puzzle. But at the moment they did not fit together. One thing was clear to her; the killer had to be the one controlling her actions that night.

 

She rose to her feet and picked up the shard from the table. Crossing over to a large steel safe, she punched in a code and the door swung open. Setting the vial containing the menacing metal inside, she shut the door firmly with finality. She did not want to think that such a small sliver could hold such immense power. But in her line of work, every possibility came to life and everything that was deemed impossible was laid before her. It was a world of nightmares made flesh and even though it was her duty to destroy those denizens of horror, even she felt a modicum of fear thinking what else could happen.

            It had been about three days since the last murder and she had holed up in her apartment since that time. She didn’t understand the reason behind her self-confinement, but she didn’t feel safe around people at this point in time. If a tiny shard of metal could be used to control her every move, she did not want to think how many innocents could die if she was compelled into that hypnosis once again. She couldn’t take the risk. She’d even gone so far as to shut off her phone so Lord Vincent would be unable to contact her. She could feel his frustration and anger at her disobedience like a dull ache in her mind. But she had increased the strength of her normal defences and barriers so he could not speak to her mentally.  He may be a vampire, but at this point in time he was an innocent helping in her cause. As much as she hated to admit that to herself. He had done nothing wrong and therefore she deemed him harmless for the time being. Still, she didn’t like the idea of her mind being hi-jacked by such an ancient artefact.  It frightened her beyond belief that she could turn into a monster without having any control over it.

She was afraid of what she could become if she was taken hold of again.

            She gripped the stone beneath her shirt, the comforting weight easing her mind, if only slightly. At least she would be safe and no more murders had been committed. She could relax for a while.      

A loud knock upon her door shattered her calm and she glared at the entrance. She sighed and rose to her feet. She had had problems lately with a salesman trying to sell her some obscure kind of water-powered battery. She had told him many times she was not interested but he was determined to coax her into a deal. She crossed the room and opened the door, prepared to yell at the salesman.

Only to stare with shock and annoyance at the blue-eyed vampire lord standing in the hallway.

“What are you doing here?” she asked flatly. “The sun will be rising soon.”

“You have not been in contact for three days,” said Vincent coldly. “I thought I told you to keep your  channels open in case I need a report on your findings.”
“Well, I have not found anything and have been looking into the situation,” retorted the dhampir. “Is that a sufficient report for you?”

The vampire lord opened his mouth to snap at her but then fell silent. She couldn’t help but blink in surprise. She’d been expecting the vampire to scold her for her impudence. Vincent glanced at her and sighed.

“Could you at least let me inside?” His voice was slightly strained as he attempted to be polite to the Hunter. “I do not wish to burn to a crisp out here.”

She was rather surprised at the fact he was actually trying to be civil to her. But since he had asked-thinly veiled with contempt the request may have been- she couldn’t say no. Even she had manners and it was common knowledge that vampires could not be enter a residence without invitation. At least some myths turn out to be true.  She sighed in resignation.

“All right, come in.” She stepped aside to let the vampire inside, shutting the door behind him. He glanced around the apartment, noting the bathroom door was wide open.

“New décor?” he said coolly, regarding the bathroom as he approached for a closer look.

“Yes. I thought it would be a change from the mirrored walls.” Kaileena suddenly crossed herself. For Christ’s sake she was making small talk with a vampire! What was wrong with her? She shook her head roughly and glared at the vampire lord. “So why are you here? I don’t think you came all this way just to scold me.”

Vincent pulled out a small folder from his coat and dropped it onto the table. The dhampir glanced at it. In neat writing the title read Cerc De Diavoli. She glanced up at him.

“The Circle of Devils? I didn’t think you were one for legends.”

“I contacted a specialist about the mark on the body we found,” said the vampire. “It turns out this mark is the insignia of the Cerc De Diavoli.” He eyed her closely. “Tell me; what do you know of the Circle?”

“What I know from myths and horror stories,” said Kaileena. “They were a religious cult group that specialises in the gruesome ritual sacrifices of women. They would lure unsuspecting girls to their cult with promises of true happiness and freedom before slaughtering them as an offering to their goddess. They were also assassins on the side. But any folk tale can tell you those things. It’s not something that the natives talk about above a whisper.”

Vincent nodded. “The specialist I contacted is an expert in crests and insignia. He told me that the mark is indeed a genuine crest. Meaning that the group does exist.”

The Hunter frowned. “But why would they show their faces now? I heard they were supposed to have vanished centuries ago. “

“That is what I thought as well. But from what this man told me the group has only been inactive for some time.  They hid in the ruins of an old castle where they evolved into perfect killers. They are monsters even among my kind. And the pattern of their rituals matches what we have been seeing with the victim’s bodies.”

‘Which would explain the murders. If we could prove their existence.”

The vampire glared at her. “Are you questioning my sources, half-breed?”

“I’m going to throw you out of here in a damn minute!” The dhampir was getting very pissed off at the vampire. Vincent frowned at her, glaring coldly. Kaileena sighed and shook her head. “I am not questioning your information. But the Cerc De Diavoli is a legend. And the only proof we have of their alleged existence is that mark. And it was not a detailed inscription either. Just a plain cross with skulls and intricate weaves. Something like that can easily be mistaken for a fashionable tattoo.”

“Not so.” The vampire lord looked the dhampir squarely in the eyes. “We do have a clear picture of the insignia.”

“Then where is it?”

“On your left wrist.”

 

Kaileena froze. Vincent frowned as the Hunter turned very pale. Her eyes flashed a bright crimson and she bared her fangs in rage.

“How do you know about that?” she demanded, her voice very forceful and incensed with anger. The vampire had expected a fight, but nothing to this degree. Still, he would not back down from his interrogation.

“I saw the tattoo upon your wrist, half-breed. When you attacked me that night. You bear the same insignia as what we found on that woman’s body.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” snapped the dhampir. “You…you think I’m the one who committed these murders?”

“Either that or you are in league with the Cerc De Diavoli,” Vincent said flatly.
“I’ve been following this investigation since I agreed to help you!” she cried. “I’ve been with you for both crime scenes and even helped you with your examination of the bodies. I even conducted my own investigation on the damn fragment I extracted from the last victim!”

“You were present at the crime scenes with me, yes.” The vampire’s arctic eyes burned into her. “But how can you explain what you were doing before the bodies were discovered?” He watched her every reaction. “You work alone, using the cover of night and the shadows to conduct your business. You have no alibi for the times the murders were performed.”

“Most of my nights I am hunting vampires or demons,” she said angrily. “Or simply staying at home. Aside from that, I shouldn’t have to justify when I go shopping or go out for a drink.”

“Then you should have no problem showing me that tattoo on your wrist.”

Kaileena did not answer.

“So you can’t even tell me where you got it done?”

“I’ve had this thing for years. Before we found the same mark on that woman’s corpse.”

“So there may be other murders.”

“I didn’t kill those women!”

“Then show me that mark on your wrist.”

Kaileena once again fell silent. Vincent was growing agitated. He closed the distance in the blink of an eye and seized the dhampir by the arms. The Hunter struggled to free herself but the strength of the vampire was not easy to match. He was clearly no third-level master. The vampire lord moved his hand down her arm so he could pull off the cuff that hid the tattoo. She struggled harder so he couldn’t get to it.

“Let me go!”

The vampire did not heed her. Instead he continued his struggle. He held her firmly in his grasp and managed to undo the cuff.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!” Kaileena became wild and kneed him square in the groin, causing him to double over. She whipped her leg in a vicious arc, slamming her foot into the side of his face with enough force to spin him in the air. He landed with a loud crash into a large cupboard filled with old metal plaques and slid to the ground in a shower of broken glass. He staggered to his feet, shaking his head to clear the haze of pain before glancing up at the dhampir. She ran to the bedroom and locked the door tight. Vincent ran to the door and tried to ram it. But it was hard and cold. He frowned in surprise. The bedroom had a steel lined door!

 

“Open this door,” he commanded.
“No.”

“I demand you open this door now.” His voice was edged with anger.
“F**k off!”

“Half-breed, open this door!”

“I said no!”

“Why are you so insistent upon this?” growled the vampire lord. “Just confess and I won’t turn you over to the Dracului.”

”Get it through your f*****g skull! I didn’t kill those girls!”
“Then tell me why you have that tattoo on your wrist.”

“It’s none of your business.”
“It is. You are working for me and you are working the same cases as I. That insignia could be our only lead to the culprit of these crimes.”

“No, it’s your lead to planting a false accusation on me because I’m a dhampir.”

“Show me the mark and I will not pursue this any further.”
“Just leave me alone!”
“Half-breed, open this door right now!”
“No!”

 

Vincent grabbed the door handle and attempted to turn it. It was locked tight. He growled in anger and pulled the knob hard. It came right off its screws. Dropping it, he kicked the door down to reveal the dhampir who was crouched in a corner, a long slender sword in her hand.

“You have five seconds to show me that mark or the deal is off.”

“Fine. Cancel the arrangement. I would rather work alone than with a vampire.”
He hadn’t expected that. Since she’d been so desperate for help in the first place. “Show me your wrist, half-breed. That’s an order.”
“No.”
“Don’t test me.”

“F**k off!”

The vampire lord suddenly vanished and appeared in front of the dhampir. She gasped in shock as the sword was ripped from her grasp and thrown aside. He moved just as fast as Nevermore! He grabbed her wrist once more and forced her against the wall, pulling down the sleeve to expose the mark.

“NO!!”

Vincent stared. There, imprinted on the dhampir’s wrist was the elaborate cross woven with bloody thorns and skulls. Just like the corpse. He turned his gaze to the dhampir who was glaring daggers at him, her eyes blazing with rage and fear.

“You killed them.”

“No.” She shook her head.
“Then how do you have this mark?”

Kaileena fell silent. The vampire lord slapped her hard.
“Answer me!”

“I told you. I’ve had this for years. I’d never seen that mark anywhere else until three days ago.”

“You’re lying.”

“I’m telling the truth. If you don’t like it, find some f*****g proof that I killed them.”

He slapped her again.

“Tell me the truth. Where did you get this mark?”
“Go to hell.”

He punched her hard and threw her against the wall. She staggered to her feet but was down once again as he kicked her in the ribs.
“Answer me, you f*****g half-breed!”

“I’ve had it for years. That’s the truth.”
“The whole truth!” He kicked her again.

Kaileena merely glared at him. The vampire kicked her in the face, knocking her onto her back. He stepped on her chest, crushing her lungs. She struggled to breath, staring into those crimson eyes.

“The truth or you die here.”

“I’ve had it since I was a child, ok?” she gasped angrily. “And it’s not the mark of the f*****g Cerc De Diavoli.”
“If not their insignia then whose?”
“…..”

“TELL ME!” He stomped on her chest and she coughed up blood.

“Elizabeth Bathory’s!”

Vincent froze, his foot in mid-air. She grabbed his foot and threw him back with all the strength she could muster. The vampire crashed against the wall and slid down the side. He raised his head, staring at the dhampir who was coughing and wheezing as she fought to get her breath back. She shook her head to clear the haze of pain, staggering to her feet and turning to glare at the vampire lord. Vincent rose to his feet, brushing off the dust he’d shaken off the wall from the impact. He returned the glare, but there was still shock present in his eyes. The cross was Elizabeth’s crest? So that was why it looked familiar to him. From old reports on her confinement. From what he remembered of those documents, the countess was known to wear a pendant bearing her insignia pinned to her chest. But why would this two-bit hybrid bear the same crest? And why would it be the mark of the Cerc De Diavoli as well? What was the connection? He opened his mouth to question the dhampir but was swiftly cut off.

“Shut up.” Kaileena glared at the vampire with such hatred it was unfathomable. She picked up the cuff from the floor and strapped it around her wrist once more. She closed her eyes, taking deep breaths to calm herself. Whatever the mark meant to her, it was something she didn’t want anyone to find out. Not even those working with her. Vincent backed down from scolding her and sighed in frustration.

“Fine, don’t tell me why you have that thing,” he growled. “Can you at least explain to me why the Circle bears the same insignia?”

The Hunter turned to him, her eyes cold and filled with loathing. “The insignia was used as a symbol of their ties to Bathory’s old assassination group. The Shadow Deaths. But after she was found out, they were disbanded and destroyed. The Circle at the time was nothing more than servants who worked at her chapel and helped to gather up girls for her atrocities. You could say the mark was the sign of their utmost devotion to her, a reward for their services.”

“So why would they appear now?” asked the vampire. “Why come to London where they would most likely be discovered?”

“That I cannot answer. All I know is that Elizabeth would never relocate unless she found something that appealed to her. She was always drawn by the most unnatural things. Explains her sick mind and her twisted goals. The sadistic b***h…”

Vincent’s ears pricked at the tone of absolute malevolence in her voice. He frowned at her. “Why do you hate her so much?”

Kaileena did not answer him. She gazed off into the next room, lost in thought. She left her bedroom and walked over to the balcony, gazing out over the city. She was silent for the longest time, but it wasn’t a defiant or hate-filled silence. It was one filled with great sorrow, as though she mourned something she had lost years ago. She lowered her head, turning slightly to look down at the cuff that concealed her tattoo. The vampire’s patience was running thin but he could tell she was barely containing her temper. It was best to approach this carefully.

“Why do you choose this kind of life?’

He only received silence from the dhampir. He could already see the first rays of sunlight lining the horizon with gold. They fell upon the dhampir, illuminating the young woman’s face. Her fairly bloodless complexion seemed to be given a rosy hue and it struck him for the first time how beautiful and fragile she truly was. She broke her silence, her voice rusty from either little use or the conviction channelled through it.

“Many things were taken,” she said finally. “One generation met its end at her hands, starving the world of new lives. She drains the land of the knowledge and vitality that could have enriched this fragile civilisation, helped it to grow stronger. But because of what she has done, the world continues to live in fear. To hide in the comfort of the light from the things that lurk in the shadows of this dying era.” She turned to glance at the vampire who stood by the thick curtains, trying to avoid being burned by the rising sun. “Can you honestly say she deserves to live?”

 

The vampire lord had nothing to say. All this time he had thought she was merely in this for the simplicity of killing, to slaughter another civilisation for the pure biased hatred that seemed to fuel her strength and rage. But it would seem that was only part of the reason she chose this life. There were more pieces to her, but what she had allowed to be revealed was slowly coming together. As those every truth she divulged yielded another piece of this puzzle. Would she willingly allow the pieces to fall into place? Or would she remain as fragments, scattered across the expanse of time and never forming a complete being?

Kaileena’s eyes shifted lower, studying part of his form. “Your hand is burning.”

Vincent glanced down and saw the flesh of his left hand was blistering, becoming charred in the gentle light and heat of dawn. He hadn’t even noticed it before, but now the pain shot through him and he hissed as he pulled himself out of the harmful rays. The dhampir watched briefly before moving inside and closing the balcony doors, shutting out the warm light and allowing a twilight to fall over the apartment. She still didn’t seem completely inclined to have the vampire into her home, but for some reason she didn’t seem willing to throw him out into the morning either.

“Why did you ask such a question?” she finally inquired. She frowned slightly. “Why would you even bother with the thoughts of a servant?”

Vincent blinked and looked away, as though remembering he was in the presence of a half-breed. “It’s none of your concern.” He looked at his hand, watching as the flesh slowly filled out and paled to its original state. He returned his arctic gaze to the woman standing by the balcony. “But we need to work together if this case is to be solved.”

The Hunter’s lips quirked into a sarcastic smirk, her former defiance returning. “As much as I hate to agree with the likes of a vampire, you’re right. I doubt this will be the last murder we’ll have to investigate.” She crossed the room and lowered herself into her usual chair by the coffee table, looking him in the eyes. “If the Circle is behind this, then they may be our only lead to our primary target.”

“Indeed.” Vincent hesitated to move from his spot. Kaileena saw this and chuckled, shaking her head.

“For a vampire, you’re very skittish. Sit down before I get a crick in my neck from looking up at you.”

The vampire glared. “Are you mocking me, half-breed?”

“No, you’re too damn tall for me to be looking up at constantly. Also….” She glanced down at his feet. “Your shoes are so worn you’re getting holes in the toes.”

Vincent frowned and glanced down at his feet. To his chagrin, he could see the tips of his black socks poking through the soft brown suede. He’d had this pair for some time and wore them constantly. I guess, unlike him, footwear aged to the point of uselessness. He sighed and walked over to the armchair, seating himself comfortably. Kaileena sat across from him, opening the folder and pulling out the contents. Her green eyes roved the pages, noting particular discrepancies and comparing them with the information filed away in her memory. There were a lot of similarities so it couldn’t be ruled out that the Circle was behind these heinous crimes. But without solid proof, or one of their members, it would be difficult to confirm they were the culprits. She glanced up at the vampire lord who was resting his chin on his hand. He looked irritable and a little listless.

“You haven’t fed yet, have you?”

Vincent glanced towards her, frowning. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t take me for a fool.” Kaileena rose to her feet and crossed over to a large bookcase adjacent to the kitchen entrance. Pulling out the tome that was titled Punch and Judy, the bookcase slid open, sitting on the left hand side. The vampire was greatly surprised to see it was some kind of freezer. Opening the stainless steel compartment on the left hand side, she pulled out a large bag filled with red liquid. Shutting the door, she walked out and tossed it to the vampire who caught it deftly in one hand. The bookcase slid back into place and she sat down in her chair again, watching him closely. The vampire lord turned the bag over in his hands and saw there was a label on it. He frowned as he read it.

“Gardasil Industries?”

“It’s too great a risk to hunt people for sustenance,” the dhampir said a little coldly. “So I found another alternative. If your kind had found this, you could eliminate your need to feed on humans altogether.”

“What is this?”

“It’s cloned blood.”

Vincent raised his head in surprise. Kaileena rolled her eyes at him.

“I’m half-vampire, remember? Even I can’t completely rid myself of the need for blood. And sometimes blood pills can’t curb the thirst. It’s the only way I can-“ She suddenly stopped herself, as though she was just now realising she was saying too much. The vampire lord frowned.

“You can what?”

“Nothing. Forget it.” She glanced at him “Be quick and slake your thirst. I don’t want a dangerous creature on my hands.”

Vincent glared at her and sank his fangs into the blood bag. The taste of plastic was quickly drowned by the sweet coppery taste of blood gushing into his mouth and down his throat. He quickly felt energised and the burn on his hand healed instantly, leaving no mark on his flesh. When the bag was empty he pulled his mouth away, gasping as the sensation of fresh blood flooding his system vanished. He didn’t even noticed Kaileena was in front of him until she snatched the empty bag from his hands and  walked to the kitchen to toss it in the trash. She glanced at him as he seemed to recover from the sudden assault of the thirst taking over. It would seem even vampires couldn’t completely control it.

“Feel better?”

The vampire lord looked at her and nodded. “Yes……thank you.” He tried not to grit out the words. It wasn’t from his hatred of dhampirs, it was simply the thirst overwhelm him too fast and he was having difficulty controlling his darker impulses. Once he felt the blood settling into his system, he relaxed and felt himself return to normal. “So, what do we do now?”

“You’re supposed to be my master and you’re asking me?”

“Half-breed…”

“Fine. As to our next course of action, I have no idea. But at least we can relax for a while.”

A shrill scream echoed from inside the building, chilling the very occupants with its sharp death cry.

“I guess I spoke too soon.”