Whispers in the Dark

by Niranjan K

  “O god, Jon.” Alistair whispered.

  The guilt would be wrenching. He could understand it. The bond was also meant as protection. But when what came through it debilitated the sire as well... It didn't happen in reverse. The sires kept the bonds masked so the fledgelings rarely felt what the sire did.

  “I'm sorry,” he said again, feeling like a puppet that could only utter those three words. He might well be one for all the use he was to his brother.

  The doorbell rang. Alistair recognised the presence. No bond was required for that. “It's Magnus,” he said.

  “Let's go see what it's about.” Jon said. “Perhaps he has some information about the killer.”

  Alistair couldn't have stopped Jon even had he wanted to, and he didn't want to. He understood Jon's need to know, and if it was what his brother needed to have closure, why not? They reached the door just as Ray opened it and stepped outside, and they followed him. Magnus stood just outside the porch; his eyes flickered to them and shifted back to Ray. He had an envelope in his hands.

  “This is all we could find on Melton Todd.” he said. “It has his personal details including his address, but he's not there. None of his friends or relatives has seen him since he turned, and he has not been active online either.”

  Ray folded his arms across his chest. “What about my conditions?”

  Magnus' eyes flickered to Jon before returning to Ray. “The council accepts your conditions.”

  Alistair stared in surprise. Magnus was telling the truth. That much he could tell. It was fast, even for the council. But what about Jon and the others like him? Ray accepted the envelope and took out the photograph and the couple of pages of information even as Jon asked, “What conditions? What are you talking about?”

  “Mr. Haspel has put forth the condition that Mr. Todd be not punished, but instead helped.” Magnus said, looking unhappy. “After some debate, the council-”

  “What do you mean not punished?” He made to move towards Ray, but Alistair stopped him, holding him. Jon might be in pain, but that didn't mean he got to hurt Ray. No one got to hurt Ray. “Let me go, Alistair!”

  “Here,” Ray held out the papers in his hands to Jon. “Go and find him if you can.”

  Jon glared at Ray.

  Magnus cleared his throat. “However, the council has a condition too. If Mr. Todd kills again, all bets are off. If you're not prepared to find him, we'll contact some other hunter who's not as”—He paused—“rigid in their requirements.”

  Ray snorted.

  “Then why do you agree to him?” Jon asked. “You can hand it over to someone else already!”

  “Because he's the best.” Magnus spoke grudgingly. “He put together things in half the time it would have taken anyone else.” Alistair felt a warmth in his chest as if he was the one being praised and not Ray. He kept his arms around Jon and his eyes were on Ray, and even though Ray had his back to him, he could imagine Ray's expression. “Also,” Magnus continued, “His experience as a vampire gives him a unique insight that most other hunters lack. It is that insight that caused the council to favourably consider his conditions. Quite frankly, if we give this to another hunter, there could be a lot more deaths before they're finished. Mr. Haspel is our best bet if we're to restrict further deaths.”

  “And yet, you find the need to give me a deadline.” Ray spoke, anger barely suppressed.

  “Members in the council have also lost their fledgelings.” Magnus said. “This was the best compromise we could come up with.”

  “If you'd lost a fledgeling, you'd also know what it feels like.” Jon said, angry still.

  “I did lose one.” Magnus said, the lines on his face appearing deeper. “Burt was my fledgeling.”

  “It's not the same when they're older!” Jon said through gritted teeth.

  “I'm sorry for your loss, Magnus.” Ray said at the same time.

  Magnus nodded at them. “I need to leave. Hope you don't disappoint our faith in you, Mr. Haspel.”

  “What the hell?” Jon struggled to free himself. “Why did you ask for such a condition, Haspel?”

  “Jon!” Alistair shook him. “That's Ray's business.”

  “It's all right, Alistair.” Ray said. “But I think we should have this discussion indoors, if you don't mind.”

  Jon struggled himself free, growling, “I'm not going to hurt your boyfriend.” before stalking in. Alistair and Ray followed.

  “So?” Jon glared at Ray.

  “Firstly,” Ray said, closing the door. “I don't owe you an explanation. The only reason I'm deigning to give you one is because of what you're going through right now, and I'm sorry for that.”

  “And yet, you won't even kill the bastard who killed my fledge or let the council kill him!”

  Alistair sat down on the couch, sighing.

  “He's feral!” Ray said. “It's not his fault. Why can't you even understand that?”

  “HE'S FERAL BECAUSE HE KILLED HIS SIRE!” Jon bellowed.

  “HE'S FERAL BECAUSE HIS SIRE REJECTED HIM!” Ray yelled back, not giving an inch. “Do you know when he was turned? Six months ago. He tried on his own, he did. I know because while you've been sitting here on your ass, I've been digging into his sire and into what information I can about him. This,”—He waved the sheaf of papers—”is information I already have except the photograph because for some reason, he was shy of putting his picture on the net.”

  Alistair stared at him. “When did you do all that?”

  Ray shrugged. “I had some time to kill yesterday. It was almost certain the vampire wouldn't be turning up till after sunset, so I took advantage of the time to talk to some of Burt's friends and associates. He's been neglecting Todd from Day One. The juniper in his house? To keep Todd out. I had it first hand from people to whom Burt admitted these things. That is six months without his Sire's presence and being neglected by him. Do you blame him for being feral?”

  Jon sat down next to Alistair, looking a bit stricken. “Why Hamilton, though? Answer me that?”

  “Ray has a theory that vampires are repelled by their own blood type.” Alistair said.

  “My aversion to O neg,” Jon muttered. “But…”

  “It's a theory.” Ray said. “Most of you can control that aversion, but Burt told his friends that being with his fledge was making him physically ill. I'm assuming he couldn't control it.”

  “They had the same blood type, and he was feral, so he couldn't control it either… whenever he caught wind of it, he had to kill, to get rid of the presence.” Alistair said.

  Ray nodded. “He's also a victim here. That is why I want him to have a chance.”

  Jon shook his head. “He killed seven people. You can't just be a sanctimonious asshole and say he deserves a chance!”

  “Your council seems to disagree with you.” Ray said.

  Alistair's phone rang before he could intervene in what was going to deteriorate into a mudslinging match. Both Ray and Jon glared at him.

  “It's Aiden.” Alistair said, which seemed to calm both of them down. “Aiden?”

  “I'm in Miriwok,” Aiden said. “But I'm lost. Can you come and get me?”

  “Aiden's in Miriwok.” Alistair said. “He said he lost his way.”

  “He can't find his sire?” Jon snorted. “Do you keep that bond closed these days?”

  “Go and get him.” Ray said. “Take your time. I think Jon and I need to talk.”

  “Don't kill my brother.” he said, kissing Ray, and wagged a finger at Jon. “Don't you dare lay a finger on him.”

  “He's a Haspel.” Jon said. “He'll eat me for breakfast if he has a mind to, and if there were no treaty in place.”

  It wasn’t true, as both Ray and Alistair knew. Jon was older than even Alistair and far more powerful. Alistair shook his head as he left. They would work it out. They had to. He could always hope.

  Chapter Forty-Four

  “So?” Ray asked, “What exactly is your probl
em?”

  Jon snorted. “I don't have a problem with you, Haspel. It's your self-righteous bullshit that I have a problem with.”

  Ray rolled his eyes. “I'm not.” he said. “I'm the last person to claim infallibility. I think he deserves a chance. That's my opinion. I'm perfectly amenable if you ask someone else to do it. I'm not going to go out of my way to find him or warn him which is what the kind of person you accuse me of being would have done. I cannot do this job against my beliefs. That's all there's to it.”

  “You heard Magnus.” Jon said. “You're our best chance, if more people are not to be killed, so you can sit there and talk about you not having any issues with us asking someone else when it could cost lives. You've put a gun to our head and you know it!”

  “The council lied to me from the start.” Ray said, striving to keep his tone neutral. “They kept information from me that they shouldn't have. If they had been upfront from the beginning, perhaps we could have avoided at least one or two deaths. So, don't sit there and preach to me about putting guns to heads.”

  “You're a feisty piece of shit. Maybe that's why Alistair is besotted with you.”

  Ray chuckled. “Back to name calling, are we?”

  “You think you're something special, Haspel? You're not! Alistair is with you because you forced him into turning you!”

  “I don't think you really understand the mechanics of love, Jon.” Ray said, unable to keep the sneer from his voice or face.

  “I understand more than you. I know my brother. I've seen him in love, and she was his equal, not a snivelling, whining, sanctimonious human!”

  “Seiden.” Ray said, speaking calmly and using every ounce of his training to keep his heart rate and breathing steady. “I know. So what? Am I supposed to feel threatened by someone who died centuries ago?”

  “You think because he told you about her, you know everything?” Jon sneered. “It could well have been your dead brother in your place, do you know that?”

  Ray's heart stuttered for a moment before he called on his training and steadied it. “Let's leave Shane out of this.”

  “Why? Because it doesn't suit you? Did Alistair tell you he was still alive when he and your father found him? Did he tell you how he begged him to turn him? There wasn't enough time, or it would be him standing here. You're here because of a chance! Do you think Alistair turned you for you? He turned you out of guilt! He turned you because your father was his best friend and heaven forbid he let another of his precious Haspel children die!”

  Ray stared at him, and was surprised at how calm he sounded as he said. “You don't know anything about me or Alistair if that's what you think. Besides, what has that got to do with anything?”

  “He nearly died when you turned human.” Jon spat. “You forced him to turn you against his will, and then decided you've had enough and went back. You already used him once. You think I'm going to stand by and watch while you do it again?”

  Ray crossed his arms across his chest, recognising it for the defensive gesture it was, but still striving to appear insouciant. “So, now this is a shovel talk, and you're concerned for Alistair.”

  “You know nothing about my concern for Alistair!” Jon snapped. “Who the fuck are you to belittle my feelings for my brother?”

  “The man your brother's going to marry.” Ray snapped back. “So, don't tell me about my fucking rights when it comes to Alistair!”

  The doorbell rang and they were still glaring at each other, and it struck Ray how comical it would seem if anyone were to come inside. He gave a snort of laughter and went to the porch outside which Alistair and Aiden were standing with a woman in her mid-twenties who looked anxious.

  “This is Genevieve.” Aiden said. “A friend.”

  “Come inside, both of you.” Ray said, and heard Jon's snort of derision from inside.

  “Go fuck yourself, Jon!” he shouted.

  “Fuck you!” Jon yelled back.

  “That's your brother's job!” Ray retorted.

  “And he's happy to do it.” Alistair murmured, kissing Ray. “I guess I should be grateful you're both still alive.”

  “Jon is being Jon, I see.” Aiden said as he led Genevieve inside.

  “Can't believe I agreed to being his brother-in-law.” Ray muttered as he waved them to a couch. “Do you need anything to drink? There's some artificial blood.”

  “I'll have some.” Genevieve spoke, her voice soft and subdued.

  “Yea, I'll have a glass too.” Aiden said.

  “I'll come with you,” Alistair said. “You want any, Jon?”

  Jon gave a curt nod. Everyone was still silent when they returned, and Alistair handed a glass to Jon while Ray offered the glasses of blood he was carrying to Aiden and Genevieve.

  “So, what's going on?” Ray asked as he sat down.

  “Well, Daphne offered to take care of Jess for a few days.” Aiden said. “And Jess gets along with her. Eve's still in Vrelsk and I thought if I were out of the way, they could get to know each other better. Also, I wanted to see how Jon was doing, but I see I shouldn't have bothered,” This with an amused glance at Jon who scowled at him.

  “Fuck off, Aiden, I don't need your fake concern.”

  “It's not fake, Jon,” Aiden said. “It's never been, but you'll never believe that.” He turned to Ray. “Anyway, Genevieve is my fledgeling. She's the one I told you about,” nodding to Alistair. “The one with the B Positive blood.”

  It was palpable the change in the atmosphere in the room. Alistair frowned and even Jon looked surprised.

  “I thought she was not in Surgron?” Alistair said.

  “She wasn't, and I called her to tell her to stay away, when she, well she wanted to talk to Ray. She was very insistent.”

  “All right,” Ray said.

  “This vampire,” she said. “He attacks only fledgelings with B positive blood?”

  “I would assume he would attack any vampire with B positive blood,” Ray said. “But older ones would be able to defend themselves. I'm assuming Burt was too overcome with the reaction to Todd's presence to fight.”

  “But how does he know where they are? He has to find them somewhere? Smell them somewhere?”

  “He has moved from Criston to Bredol to Miriwok, so I would think so. I mean humans with B positive blood are very common, vampires should also be relatively more common, except old ones know how to mask the scent of their blood if they want to.” Ray said.

  “So, what if he smells me? He'll come after me, right?”

  “You're offering to be bait,” Ray said even as Aiden gasped and jumped up.

  Jon said, “Fuck no!”

  She nodded, “I think… I feel I should do this. I'm nobody, you know? I was nobody as a human and I thought becoming a vampire would… it would change things.”

  “You thought you'd be in control, that you could get people to pay attention to you.” Ray said.

  She nodded. “It didn't happen, obviously, because, it doesn't really change who you're inside, except now I've time to figure out my shit, but when Aiden told me about this… this is my chance, you know? To be somebody, to do something?”

  “While I appreciate the gesture,” Ray said. “I have to refuse. It's too risky for one, and for another, all fledgelings below hundred years of age are kind of minors in vampire society? You need your sire's consent for something like this.”

  “I’m eighty-nine.” she said.

  “And she's not getting it!” Aiden exclaimed at the same time. “Hell no! No! No! No!”

  The Genevieve was eighty-nine would explain why Aiden had no idea what she came here for. Most fledgelings learned to mask their own bonds by fifty. Sires could still use the bond to break through, but most didn’t. From what Ray had seen of him, Aiden certainly wouldn’t.

  “Aiden,” she started, and he shook his head.

  “This is not negotiable!” His face was hard. “If I have to manipulate the bond to make you obey me, I will, bu
t you're not doing this, Genevieve.”

  “She isn't, but this is our chance.” Ray said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Bait,” Ray said. It was so simple. Why hadn't we thought of that? “We need an older vampire with B positive blood.”

  “Won't they be overcome with the same aversion Burt was?” Alistair asked.

  “Not necessarily,” Ray said. “Older ones can control their aversion. Of course, I've no idea what it feels like.”

  “Imagine a confined space full of shit,” Aiden said. “That's more or less what it feels like, the stench… you feel it everywhere, in every pore… there's no escaping it. What?” as everyone was staring at him, “I've once met a vampire with the same blood type. Believe me, we both felt the same.”

  The snort from Jon broke the tension somewhat and Ray pushed to the back of his mind what Jon had said about Shane. This was more important. This was a good plan, to lure Todd out and to capture him. “All right,” Ray said. “We should assume that even an older one can be overcome while Todd being feral won't feel the effects as badly, so I'll stay with whoever is our bait, out of sight.”

  “I'm coming with you,” Alistair said. “You've never dealt with a feral vampire, Ray. Believe me, you can't take him alone.”

  “Alistair and I'll stay in the room, and once he's there, we'll take him out.” Ray said, not fighting.

  “That could actually work.” Jon said.

  “See, it's a good plan,” Genevieve said. “So, why can't I be the bait? There's virtually no risk!”

  “There's a lot of risk,” Ray said. “Plans fail because there are always a lot of variables. I'm sorry, Genevieve, exposing you to that is not an option.”

  “But you're talking of exposing someone else.” she argued.

  “Someone who has experience and powers far in advance of you,” Jon said. “Who understands the risk and is not in this for personal glory, so shut up.”

  Ray stared at Jon, and so did Alistair.

  “Jon,” Aiden said.