Primeval fic: Bathed By Blood (4/16)
Title: Bathed By Blood (4/16)
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~2730 (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 3 and continues in Part 5.
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 had sent a message to Abberline that I planned to survey the murder site at half past three in the morning, approximately the same time Mary Ann Nichols had been killed. I expected the presence of at least one of the police constables who had discovered her body to show me where she had been found. The afternoon post brought his answer that one of his men would meet me at the end of Buck's Row and that he would be grateful for any findings I discovered.
As I had several hours before that meeting, I spent the time sorting through my other government business. After a few hours I decided to check how Ryan was proceeding with his studies. I entered just in time to witness Ryan rubbing the ointment into his reddened skin, his face screwed up in distaste at, I assumed, the burns. “Painful?”
Ryan shook his head but still looked grateful when I held out a bottle from my special cellar. I quirked an eyebrow when he took a gulp straight out of the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sighed with satisfaction before he noticed my expression. “I apologise for my uncouth behaviour, my sire.” He shook his head. “The burns itch terribly, my sire. It must have been agonising for you.”
I nodded. “My sire took to binding my hands so I did not scratch the new skin off and gagging me when he was not pouring blood down my throat to encourage my healing.” I examined Ryan closely. “And how are your lessons going?”
Ryan stood up straighter. “I have managed to withstand the sun for almost one and one-quarter hours, my sire, before I began to smoulder and had to step into the shadows.”
“Good. Your progress is excellent.”
Ryan smiled in relief. “Thank you, sire.”
We relaxed and shared a bottle of wine, kissing softly and enjoying each other's company as we waited for the appointed hour. It was coming up to one in the morning when Becker knocked on the door. “Sir, your carriage is ready.”
“Thank you, Becker.” I allowed Becker to help me into my overcoat and then waited as he helped Ryan into his. “Come, Ryan, we must be going.”
****
I smiled as I watched Ryan peering out at the city streets as Charlie guided my carriage to the murder site. Ryan was no doubt looking for the differences and similarities with the world he had once known. I found myself musing over the changes to this great city I had witnessed over the centuries until Charlie's voice informed me we had arrived.
I clambered out of the carriage to see that we had stopped at a crossroads. As I glanced around the area, I noticed the only illumination came from a single lamp we had stopped under and it did little to pierce the fog that had descended during our journey. Ryan joined me and we waited for the arrival of Abberline's man. “Charlie, stay with the horses.”
“Zur.”
I paused as I pulled my overcoat tighter around me. “If it comes on to rain you may shelter in the carriage.”
“Thank 'ee, zur.” He settled in his seat and I noticed his hand was stroking the heavy cudgel he kept close when we were about during the night.
The scuff of boots on cobblestones made me turn to look down the street and I soon spotted the caped figure of a policeman coming towards us. “Ryan, be ready,” I muttered to my lover as we waited for the man to join us.
The man stopped before us and I took a moment to examine him. He was smartly turned out, his hair neat and receding to a widow's peak even though he appeared only to be in his late 30s. His handlebar moustache was neatly trimmed. All in all, he looked suitably respectable.
The man nodded in greeting. “PC John Neil, Sir James. T'inspector sent me, sir.”
I inclined my head in acknowledgement. “You discovered the body?”
“Yes, sir.” Neil's replied as he pulled out his notebook. “I were on me beat duty, sir, and discover'd t'body at approximately 3.45am on t'31st of August.” I nodded for him to continue. “I 'ad come from Thomas Street and were 'eading eastward t'ward Brady Street, sir. That be this street we be on now, sir. It were as I were walking along Buck's Row.” Here he paused to point down the street on my right. “Down t'far end, sir, were where I found t'body. I could 'ear PC John Thain walking along Brady Street and summon'd 'im with me lamp, sir. It weren't long before we be joined by PC Jonas Mizen, 'e 'ad been alerted by Charles Cross and Robert Paul.” Neil shook his head as he gazed down the street. “I don't understand it, sir. I swear I sees no one. No one and I 'eard nothing either, sir. T'furthest I'd gone from t'murder spot all night were Baker's Row, sir.”
Damnation. It made it all the more likely this crime had been committed by a vampire. “What did you do next, PC Neil?”
“Well, sir, with t'aid of me lamp I could see t'wound t'er, Nichol that be, sir. T'er throat and that there were little blood still oozing out. So I feels 'er arm and it were still warm. 'Er eyes they was wide open and 'er bonnet were lying nearby as knock'd from 'er 'ead. I immediately despatch'd PC Thain t'fetch t'doctor, that were to Dr Llewellyn, and I told PC Mizen t'fetch t'ambulance, sir.”
I nodded. All standard police procedure and nothing that indicated that Neil had been unduly influenced by a vampire, unnecessary if he had been far enough away when the murder had occurred. “Please continue.”
“As I were waiting for t'doctor,” Neil's leafed through his notebook, “I were joined by 'Enry Tomkins, James Mumford and Charles Bre'on, sir, who work at 'Arrison, Barber & Co. They're 'orse slaughterers in Winthop Street, sir. That's t'next street over, sir, and I 'ad saw them at 3.15 on me beat.” He glanced at his book again before he continued, “I rang t'bell of Essex Wharf t'enquire if they 'ad 'eard a disturbance and they 'ad not, sir. Then I examined t'area around t'body and found no traces o'wheel marks. I remain'd with t'body in accordance with procedure until it were remov'd t'mortuary, sir.”
“Very good.” I glanced around the area. “Now, can you show me exactly where you discovered the body?”
“O'course, sir.”
PC Neil led myself and Ryan down the street, away from the light and into the gloom, I quickly noted that all the residential houses were on the south side of the street with the north being given over to warehouses. I could hear the sounds of a train and realised we were heading towards the Underground tracks. Although we stopped short of them at the entrance of Brown's stableyard and I could clearly see how close to the window of one Mrs Emma Green it had been. She proved her claim to being a light sleeper by opening her window to see who was outside in the street. I left Neil to answer her questions as I considered the scene. Her appearance added to my belief that no mortal man could have committed this crime.
I caught Ryan's eye and he gave me a slight nod as he obeyed my silent instruction. He stepped over to PC Neil and Mrs Green to ask her questions, and distract them from what I was doing. I closed my eyes and concentrated before opening them, I was careful to keep my back to the mortals as my eyes had taken on an eerie glow. I could see the traces left by the passage of mortals along the street, overlapping and interweaving until I could not follow one for more than a few feet before it merged with the rest. I sighed and knew I would not be able to pick out the pale trace left behind by a vampire. I closed my eyes again as I let my heightened senses return to my normal vampiric level.
I almost jumped as the nearby church clock struck, its peels painfully loud to my still sensitive ears. As I registered the time I glanced eastwards at the first pale streaks that heralded sunrise. It was time to go home before the sun rose and before Ryan suffered from its burning rays.
I turned to Ryan to inform him it was time for us to leave and paused as I detected the sound of drunken footsteps coming towards us. I looked up and spied two women, from their dress and condition I would easily label them as drunken prostitutes, staggered down the street towards us. One waved at us and called out, “PC Neil, who's t'toffs?”
The second one was rather more direct. She lifted her skirts to display her nakedness and called out, “Want t'put Nebuchadnezzar out t'grass, me fine coves? Thruppence for yer.”
Neil spoke up. “Gets 'er out o'here, Halice. These fine gents 'ave work t'do.”
“Jacks are they? You get that trasseno who done murdered Polly?” Alice spoke up as she helped hold her friend up.
I assumed she thought we were police detectives investigating the murder and had no wish to dissuade her of that thought. I did, however, almost sigh when Ryan nodded and told them we would. I knew the savagery of the murder had discomforted him, but I could only hope he had not promised something we could not deliver. If the culprit was a vampire as I believed, he could hardly be paraded through the streets or have his day in court. No, the Council would deal with him and the mortals would know nothing, except that the murders had stopped.
I almost shook my head as I watched the prostitutes resume staggering down the street, even with a murderer on the prowl they seemed not to care for their safety; but then, this was the East End and murders were more common for the inhabitants than meat. I had seen enough and wanted only to be home with Ryan in my arms. “You may continue on your beat, PC Neil.”
“Thank yer, sir.”
I watched Neil headed off up the street before turning to Ryan. “Home, Ryan. I feel a great weariness in my bones and the sun rises soon.”
Once we had relaxed in the deeply-cushioned seats, I turned my attention towards Ryan and quirked an eyebrow. “Did you learn anything of importance from Mrs Green?”
Ryan looked thoughtful before replying. “I think so, my sire, but I am not sure.”
“Pray tell and let me be the judge of that,” I told him, my mind already halfway to thinking of my bed and Ryan in it.
Ryan nodded and pulled out the notebook he had taken to carrying. “Mrs Green sleeps in the front bedroom, that is the window she looked out of tonight. She told me she just did not understand how she had not heard the murder. The first she knew of it was when a policeman knocked on her door several times as 4am that morning. She claims she was shocked to open her window and find several police constables and other men, as well as Nichol's body, my sire.” Ryan checked his notes again before adding, “She kept repeating she did not understand it, that she usually woke as the police constables walked past her window. I do not understand either, my sire. If she woke at our passing, why did she not hear the murderer?”
I sighed softly and, at Ryan's querying look, explained. “I believe Mrs Green was woken by the murder and indeed, that she opened her window and looked out to see the murder, or most likely the mutilations, committed under her very nose.”
“But... how can she not remember the murder, my sire? Do you think the killer is a vampire? That he dominated her mind so she did not see?”
“Not necessarily, my dear Ryan. I have seen the aftermath of outrages where the victim could not remember the act, so horrified by what had happened that the memory had fled. Sometimes the memory returned but it was a kindness when it did not.”
Ryan nodded. “I can understand how such a sight could drive the wits from her, my sire. Even reading the details left me unsettled.”
I leaned forward and caressed Ryan's face, smiling as he leaned into my touch. “We find ourselves with multiple possibilities, my love. Firstly, that our killer is a mortal and the horrific sight that greeted Mrs Green's eyes caused her memory to flee from her. I am not a doctor, but she might not have heard the police until later if she had been in shock.”
“I have seen men on the battlefield ignore explosions almost on top of them when in shock, my sire.” I was pleased that Ryan agreed with my first option, and I could only pray to any god that would accept them that the killer was a mortal. Although there was an alternative, one too terrible to consider, although I knew I must.
“There is another possibility, that the killer is indeed a vampire who dominated her to not see or remember the events.” Although why had he not killed Mrs Green too? That small detail caused problems with my theory. Memory loss did not require the killer to directly interact with Mrs Green, vampiric domination did. So why leave her alive?
“After killing Nichols, why would he not kill the witness?” Ryan echoed my thoughts.
“Quite.” I sighed softly. “It is possible that he only kills prostitutes or ...” I shook my head. “I do not know, my love. However, for whatever reason he dominated her, the killer might have projected too much of his power when he commanded her to forget what she had witnessed and to go back to sleep. Indeed, if Mrs Green was highly susceptible to the effect, he could have affected her more than he planned. It might explain why the several men outside her window had not woken her.”
“Can you sense if she's been dominated?” Ryan asked and I was pleased to see he had asked a sensible question.
“There are some small signs for domination but they are not always reliable.” I raised a hand to forestall Ryan's request. “And I will teach them to you when you are ready to learn them.” I closed my eyes and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “For now, I see we have no choice but to go through the witness statements once more and see if there are any others that hold similar contradictions. I will question the witnesses and see if they show signs of having been dominated.” I held up a hand as Ryan opened his mouth to disagree. “No, Ryan. You will stay inside and study.” At his pout, I smiled and added, “For now, my love. I want you by my side.”
“Yes, my sire.” Ryan still sounded a bit surly and I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Sorry, sire.” He took a deep breath before asking, “Will you be able to learn his identity?”
I sighed. “I fear not, but I might find some trace or clue that he has left. Something I,” I paused and smiled at him as I corrected myself. “That we can use to find him before he kills again.”
“You think he will?” Ryan sounded horrified at that thought and I did not blame him.
“Yes, though whether out of his apparent hatred of women, a need for some occult ceremony I do not want to imagine or just the thrill of terrorising the mortals, I know not. But I do know he will kill again.”
Author: knitekat
Word Count: ~2730 (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 3 and continues in Part 5.
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 had sent a message to Abberline that I planned to survey the murder site at half past three in the morning, approximately the same time Mary Ann Nichols had been killed. I expected the presence of at least one of the police constables who had discovered her body to show me where she had been found. The afternoon post brought his answer that one of his men would meet me at the end of Buck's Row and that he would be grateful for any findings I discovered.
As I had several hours before that meeting, I spent the time sorting through my other government business. After a few hours I decided to check how Ryan was proceeding with his studies. I entered just in time to witness Ryan rubbing the ointment into his reddened skin, his face screwed up in distaste at, I assumed, the burns. “Painful?”
Ryan shook his head but still looked grateful when I held out a bottle from my special cellar. I quirked an eyebrow when he took a gulp straight out of the bottle. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and sighed with satisfaction before he noticed my expression. “I apologise for my uncouth behaviour, my sire.” He shook his head. “The burns itch terribly, my sire. It must have been agonising for you.”
I nodded. “My sire took to binding my hands so I did not scratch the new skin off and gagging me when he was not pouring blood down my throat to encourage my healing.” I examined Ryan closely. “And how are your lessons going?”
Ryan stood up straighter. “I have managed to withstand the sun for almost one and one-quarter hours, my sire, before I began to smoulder and had to step into the shadows.”
“Good. Your progress is excellent.”
Ryan smiled in relief. “Thank you, sire.”
We relaxed and shared a bottle of wine, kissing softly and enjoying each other's company as we waited for the appointed hour. It was coming up to one in the morning when Becker knocked on the door. “Sir, your carriage is ready.”
“Thank you, Becker.” I allowed Becker to help me into my overcoat and then waited as he helped Ryan into his. “Come, Ryan, we must be going.”
****
I smiled as I watched Ryan peering out at the city streets as Charlie guided my carriage to the murder site. Ryan was no doubt looking for the differences and similarities with the world he had once known. I found myself musing over the changes to this great city I had witnessed over the centuries until Charlie's voice informed me we had arrived.
I clambered out of the carriage to see that we had stopped at a crossroads. As I glanced around the area, I noticed the only illumination came from a single lamp we had stopped under and it did little to pierce the fog that had descended during our journey. Ryan joined me and we waited for the arrival of Abberline's man. “Charlie, stay with the horses.”
“Zur.”
I paused as I pulled my overcoat tighter around me. “If it comes on to rain you may shelter in the carriage.”
“Thank 'ee, zur.” He settled in his seat and I noticed his hand was stroking the heavy cudgel he kept close when we were about during the night.
The scuff of boots on cobblestones made me turn to look down the street and I soon spotted the caped figure of a policeman coming towards us. “Ryan, be ready,” I muttered to my lover as we waited for the man to join us.
The man stopped before us and I took a moment to examine him. He was smartly turned out, his hair neat and receding to a widow's peak even though he appeared only to be in his late 30s. His handlebar moustache was neatly trimmed. All in all, he looked suitably respectable.
The man nodded in greeting. “PC John Neil, Sir James. T'inspector sent me, sir.”
I inclined my head in acknowledgement. “You discovered the body?”
“Yes, sir.” Neil's replied as he pulled out his notebook. “I were on me beat duty, sir, and discover'd t'body at approximately 3.45am on t'31st of August.” I nodded for him to continue. “I 'ad come from Thomas Street and were 'eading eastward t'ward Brady Street, sir. That be this street we be on now, sir. It were as I were walking along Buck's Row.” Here he paused to point down the street on my right. “Down t'far end, sir, were where I found t'body. I could 'ear PC John Thain walking along Brady Street and summon'd 'im with me lamp, sir. It weren't long before we be joined by PC Jonas Mizen, 'e 'ad been alerted by Charles Cross and Robert Paul.” Neil shook his head as he gazed down the street. “I don't understand it, sir. I swear I sees no one. No one and I 'eard nothing either, sir. T'furthest I'd gone from t'murder spot all night were Baker's Row, sir.”
Damnation. It made it all the more likely this crime had been committed by a vampire. “What did you do next, PC Neil?”
“Well, sir, with t'aid of me lamp I could see t'wound t'er, Nichol that be, sir. T'er throat and that there were little blood still oozing out. So I feels 'er arm and it were still warm. 'Er eyes they was wide open and 'er bonnet were lying nearby as knock'd from 'er 'ead. I immediately despatch'd PC Thain t'fetch t'doctor, that were to Dr Llewellyn, and I told PC Mizen t'fetch t'ambulance, sir.”
I nodded. All standard police procedure and nothing that indicated that Neil had been unduly influenced by a vampire, unnecessary if he had been far enough away when the murder had occurred. “Please continue.”
“As I were waiting for t'doctor,” Neil's leafed through his notebook, “I were joined by 'Enry Tomkins, James Mumford and Charles Bre'on, sir, who work at 'Arrison, Barber & Co. They're 'orse slaughterers in Winthop Street, sir. That's t'next street over, sir, and I 'ad saw them at 3.15 on me beat.” He glanced at his book again before he continued, “I rang t'bell of Essex Wharf t'enquire if they 'ad 'eard a disturbance and they 'ad not, sir. Then I examined t'area around t'body and found no traces o'wheel marks. I remain'd with t'body in accordance with procedure until it were remov'd t'mortuary, sir.”
“Very good.” I glanced around the area. “Now, can you show me exactly where you discovered the body?”
“O'course, sir.”
PC Neil led myself and Ryan down the street, away from the light and into the gloom, I quickly noted that all the residential houses were on the south side of the street with the north being given over to warehouses. I could hear the sounds of a train and realised we were heading towards the Underground tracks. Although we stopped short of them at the entrance of Brown's stableyard and I could clearly see how close to the window of one Mrs Emma Green it had been. She proved her claim to being a light sleeper by opening her window to see who was outside in the street. I left Neil to answer her questions as I considered the scene. Her appearance added to my belief that no mortal man could have committed this crime.
I caught Ryan's eye and he gave me a slight nod as he obeyed my silent instruction. He stepped over to PC Neil and Mrs Green to ask her questions, and distract them from what I was doing. I closed my eyes and concentrated before opening them, I was careful to keep my back to the mortals as my eyes had taken on an eerie glow. I could see the traces left by the passage of mortals along the street, overlapping and interweaving until I could not follow one for more than a few feet before it merged with the rest. I sighed and knew I would not be able to pick out the pale trace left behind by a vampire. I closed my eyes again as I let my heightened senses return to my normal vampiric level.
I almost jumped as the nearby church clock struck, its peels painfully loud to my still sensitive ears. As I registered the time I glanced eastwards at the first pale streaks that heralded sunrise. It was time to go home before the sun rose and before Ryan suffered from its burning rays.
I turned to Ryan to inform him it was time for us to leave and paused as I detected the sound of drunken footsteps coming towards us. I looked up and spied two women, from their dress and condition I would easily label them as drunken prostitutes, staggered down the street towards us. One waved at us and called out, “PC Neil, who's t'toffs?”
The second one was rather more direct. She lifted her skirts to display her nakedness and called out, “Want t'put Nebuchadnezzar out t'grass, me fine coves? Thruppence for yer.”
Neil spoke up. “Gets 'er out o'here, Halice. These fine gents 'ave work t'do.”
“Jacks are they? You get that trasseno who done murdered Polly?” Alice spoke up as she helped hold her friend up.
I assumed she thought we were police detectives investigating the murder and had no wish to dissuade her of that thought. I did, however, almost sigh when Ryan nodded and told them we would. I knew the savagery of the murder had discomforted him, but I could only hope he had not promised something we could not deliver. If the culprit was a vampire as I believed, he could hardly be paraded through the streets or have his day in court. No, the Council would deal with him and the mortals would know nothing, except that the murders had stopped.
I almost shook my head as I watched the prostitutes resume staggering down the street, even with a murderer on the prowl they seemed not to care for their safety; but then, this was the East End and murders were more common for the inhabitants than meat. I had seen enough and wanted only to be home with Ryan in my arms. “You may continue on your beat, PC Neil.”
“Thank yer, sir.”
I watched Neil headed off up the street before turning to Ryan. “Home, Ryan. I feel a great weariness in my bones and the sun rises soon.”
Once we had relaxed in the deeply-cushioned seats, I turned my attention towards Ryan and quirked an eyebrow. “Did you learn anything of importance from Mrs Green?”
Ryan looked thoughtful before replying. “I think so, my sire, but I am not sure.”
“Pray tell and let me be the judge of that,” I told him, my mind already halfway to thinking of my bed and Ryan in it.
Ryan nodded and pulled out the notebook he had taken to carrying. “Mrs Green sleeps in the front bedroom, that is the window she looked out of tonight. She told me she just did not understand how she had not heard the murder. The first she knew of it was when a policeman knocked on her door several times as 4am that morning. She claims she was shocked to open her window and find several police constables and other men, as well as Nichol's body, my sire.” Ryan checked his notes again before adding, “She kept repeating she did not understand it, that she usually woke as the police constables walked past her window. I do not understand either, my sire. If she woke at our passing, why did she not hear the murderer?”
I sighed softly and, at Ryan's querying look, explained. “I believe Mrs Green was woken by the murder and indeed, that she opened her window and looked out to see the murder, or most likely the mutilations, committed under her very nose.”
“But... how can she not remember the murder, my sire? Do you think the killer is a vampire? That he dominated her mind so she did not see?”
“Not necessarily, my dear Ryan. I have seen the aftermath of outrages where the victim could not remember the act, so horrified by what had happened that the memory had fled. Sometimes the memory returned but it was a kindness when it did not.”
Ryan nodded. “I can understand how such a sight could drive the wits from her, my sire. Even reading the details left me unsettled.”
I leaned forward and caressed Ryan's face, smiling as he leaned into my touch. “We find ourselves with multiple possibilities, my love. Firstly, that our killer is a mortal and the horrific sight that greeted Mrs Green's eyes caused her memory to flee from her. I am not a doctor, but she might not have heard the police until later if she had been in shock.”
“I have seen men on the battlefield ignore explosions almost on top of them when in shock, my sire.” I was pleased that Ryan agreed with my first option, and I could only pray to any god that would accept them that the killer was a mortal. Although there was an alternative, one too terrible to consider, although I knew I must.
“There is another possibility, that the killer is indeed a vampire who dominated her to not see or remember the events.” Although why had he not killed Mrs Green too? That small detail caused problems with my theory. Memory loss did not require the killer to directly interact with Mrs Green, vampiric domination did. So why leave her alive?
“After killing Nichols, why would he not kill the witness?” Ryan echoed my thoughts.
“Quite.” I sighed softly. “It is possible that he only kills prostitutes or ...” I shook my head. “I do not know, my love. However, for whatever reason he dominated her, the killer might have projected too much of his power when he commanded her to forget what she had witnessed and to go back to sleep. Indeed, if Mrs Green was highly susceptible to the effect, he could have affected her more than he planned. It might explain why the several men outside her window had not woken her.”
“Can you sense if she's been dominated?” Ryan asked and I was pleased to see he had asked a sensible question.
“There are some small signs for domination but they are not always reliable.” I raised a hand to forestall Ryan's request. “And I will teach them to you when you are ready to learn them.” I closed my eyes and rubbed the bridge of my nose. “For now, I see we have no choice but to go through the witness statements once more and see if there are any others that hold similar contradictions. I will question the witnesses and see if they show signs of having been dominated.” I held up a hand as Ryan opened his mouth to disagree. “No, Ryan. You will stay inside and study.” At his pout, I smiled and added, “For now, my love. I want you by my side.”
“Yes, my sire.” Ryan still sounded a bit surly and I quirked an eyebrow at him. “Sorry, sire.” He took a deep breath before asking, “Will you be able to learn his identity?”
I sighed. “I fear not, but I might find some trace or clue that he has left. Something I,” I paused and smiled at him as I corrected myself. “That we can use to find him before he kills again.”
“You think he will?” Ryan sounded horrified at that thought and I did not blame him.
“Yes, though whether out of his apparent hatred of women, a need for some occult ceremony I do not want to imagine or just the thrill of terrorising the mortals, I know not. But I do know he will kill again.”