It was growing late in the evening, and Helen, James, and Nikola were all seated in Helen's study drinking brandy and discussing plans to expand the Sanctuary's growth overseas. It was a project that was just in the beginning stages, but one that Helen hoped she would have many, many years to complete. One person was notably absent from their group on that particular evening.
James finally decided to broach the subject they had all been avoiding since after dinner. "You've been unusually quiet tonight, Helen dear. Where is John?" Helen studied the hem of her dark blue gown for a moment before answering.
"He sent word that something came up last minute with a client and not to expect him tonight. His practice seems to be doing quite well; he has been working very long hours of late."
Nikola and James exchanged a look but said nothing. Women had a reputation for being gossips, but they really had nothing on the grapevine that made its way through gentleman's clubs. Word was that Druitt, in fact, was not doing well. It wasn't terribly surprising; few barristers these days were able to make a living practicing law. That wasn't as troubling as the idea that John was lying to Helen on a continual basis about his whereabouts.
As the sun set, the room was increasingly falling into shadows. Helen rose to light a few lanterns around the room. As the flicker from the light splashed across her face, Nikola took a good look at her face for the first time that evening.
"My God! What happened to your cheek, Helen?" There was an almost healed cut running across the top of her cheekbone, just under her eye. She quickly backed away from the light and returned to her seat. Although she appeared flustered for a moment, she quickly recovered poise.
"Oh, that's nothing. I let one of father's less-than-well-mannered creatures get too close to me. Took a nice swipe at me with its claws."
"That's an interesting explanation, Helen," James began. "But I see at least one hole in your story. Gentleman that I am, I would never take part in such shameful activity as brawling," Nikola snorted and James shot him a threatening glare, "but I have examined plenty of people who have had such dealings. I have also seen what a nice set of claws can do to human flesh." At that, he shot Nikola another glance. "Your injury, my dear, is consistent with being hit, not cut," he finished softly.
"Nonsense. Your heightened powers of observation must be weakening, James." Helen teased, rising. "I really think I should call it an evening. I still have some work to complete before I can retire." She was clearly deflecting, but James decided to let Helen get away with it. For now. He would most certainly be having a chat with John tomorrow, though.
"Of course, dear. I must be mistaken. Have a wonderful evening." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek, nodded to Nikola, and made his exit.
Nikola, however, was not so willing to let the matter drop. When they were alone in the room, Nikola raised a hand to her cheek (not missing the way she just barely flinched at the action) and gently stroked the healing wound. "He did this to you."
Helen was much less inclined to lie to her dear friend, but she did it anyway. "No, Nikola. You are just looking for trouble because you are jealous. John would never hurt me." He wasn't convinced, and they both knew it.
"At least let me stay and help you finish whatever you are working on," he offered. Helen sighed, knowing that he was never going to take no for an answer. She wasn't feeling well and had really just wanted to soak in a long, hot bath before retiring early.
"Very well then," she reluctantly agreed. She gathered her papers and Nikola followed her to the lab.
Not even an hour later there was a pounding on the door. Helen's maid led a drenched James into the workroom. He raised his eyebrows when he found Nikola still present, but he said nothing. Those two had always had their own unique bond, neither ever really fitting in with the rest of society. James had learned not to question it.
"Helen, I know it's late, but I need you for a case. Bring your medical bag—and that trench coat of yours, it is dreadful outside." She quickly rose to gather her things, and Nikola looked at the other man quizzically. "No, Nikola." James insisted. "Believe me when I tell you that you don't want to be there for this." They were still perfecting the vampire's protein supplements. It seemed to supply all the energy that he needed, but it still wasn't quite…satisfying. Though James trusted Nikola's intentions and was sure that one day he would perfect control, he didn't care to test that theory tonight, at the blood bath James knew would be waiting for them.
Whenever Helen thought back to that night, she pictured herself and James in raincoats, drenched, in a dark alley in Whitechapel, knelt over the mutilated body of a young woman. It just seemed so cliché and so horrible all at the same time.
"What has happened?" Helen asked as James helped her into the carriage he had waiting outside her home. Her friend had a budding career with Scotland Yard, and he occasionally called on Helen for assistance when he felt her unique skills might come in handy.
"There's been a—they found a body. It could be—I hope—that it was some sort of abnormal that killed the girl." James rarely faltered, and Helen knew that for him to be knocked off balance, whatever was waiting for them must be bad indeed.
And so the Ripper killings began.
It had been far too dark and rainy to properly examine the body on the scene, so James had arranged to have it transported back to Scotland Yard. They hadn't dared wait to perform the autopsy in the morning, so it was close to midnight when Helen and James stood over the body with their surgical implements. She got a good look at the body really for the first time that evening, and felt her stomach heave. The woman's manner of dress betrayed her occupation as a prostitute. It had likely made her an easy target. Helen understood James's hope that the death was caused by an abnormal. She didn't want to consider the possibility that a human had sliced the woman's throat so thoroughly and deeply. However, as soon as they removed the woman's clothing to begin the examination, they both knew that the attacker could only be human. To say the body had been mutilated was…kind. Helen ran for a washbasin and relieved herself of the remaining contents of her stomach. James was at her side instantly, rubbing her forehead soothingly.
Helen straightened herself, embarrassed. "Let's get this over with," she said grimly. James didn't try to reassure her that her physical reaction was entirely justified. The body on the table in front of them and his own pale face said it all.
"This was not an abnormal," Helen said as an afterthought, picking up a scalpel.
No, but it was a monster, James thought. Anyone who would lash out at a woman is more monster than man. He glanced at the scar on Helen's check, but said nothing.
A/N: Next update won't come quite as quickly as this one. I'm going to aim for at least one chapter a week, though. The chapter titles are all titles of songs that are vaguely relevant, if you are interested in that kind of thing. As always, reviews are love and make me want to write faster :)