Finally! Here we get to meet Tanith, Ghastly and China! In this story Tanith and Ghastly are a couple :)
As you've probably noticed in the other chapters, but also in this one, I have taken some scenes/events/quotes mainly from the first book -but also one or two from the other books - but changed them so they suit into this story. I wanted to make an homage mainly to the first book, since it was in there everything started, after all :)
Valkyrie woke early the same afternoon with a tender body and filled with a brain that tried to decide for what feeling she should feel most of. She was filled with feelings of guilt for what she had done to Fletcher, at the same time as she knew that if the opportunity occured she would probably do it again. She was also filled with a new love towards Fletcher, since she in the same moment she had came home realized how much she actually loved him. Even if she was drawn sexually to Skulduggery, it was Fletcher that was her port, the person she knew and who she was safe with.
And still... She could not stop thinking about Skulduggery. On his voice, his laugh, those light blue eyes... On how he had managed to make her body burn, even pulsate of a lust she had never felt before. How she had felt at home in his arms, as if he was her twin soul. Not that she believed in that kind of stuff, but she could not close her eyes from her feelings even how much she would like to.
She sat up in the bed and stroked her hands over her face. She thought back of what had happened between her and Fletcher when she had gotten home. He had been sleeping in their bed and she had taken of her clothes before she had crawled down next to him. He had woken in the same moment she had laid her arm around him. "Stephanie? Is that you? What time is it?" he had asked with drowsy voice.
"Yes, it is me. The clock is halv six in the morning", she had answered him and kissed his neck. She had then let her hand stroke his chest and he had shivered from her touch.
She did not know why she had chosen to have sex with Fletcher after just a few hours earlier been sleeping with another man. She suspected that it had been her feelings of guilt that had haunted her. Despite that she had to confess to herself that it had felt... good, even really great. It had been a long time since they last had had any kind of intimate contact and she had understood how much she had been missing it as soon as Fletcher had penetrated her.
Of course Fletcher had afterwards been asking where she had been the whole night since he had been trying to get a hold of her by calling her cell phone. When she had not answered it he had called Tanith and China, but the only thing they had been able to answer him was that she had been ending her shift at eight o'clock and droven off in her car. "I was so worried, but at the same time I know you. When you had not got home when I went to bed I decided that you had to run an errand or that you had been stopping by Gordon's house to think things through, since you have been doing that before."
Valkyrie had nodded. "You're right, Fletcher. I had a lot of things to think about, but nontheless I should have called you before. I... I was thinking about us. On how a bad atmosphere it has been between us lately. I love you, Fletcher, and I want this, we, to work. See our sex act as my first step to reconciliation."
Fletcher had been smiling and given her a kiss. "I love you too, Valkyrie. I have also thought a lot about us. I apologize so much if I have seemed absent under this tough period after Gordon's death. You know how much I liked your uncle and his death hit us all very hard. Especially you. I know how close you were each other and I also understand how difficult it must be for you."
"I should also apologize for closing you out when I really should have let you in. I understand now that I am not as strong as I would like to think, but that even I could be using some help sometimes."
"Oh, so the big Stephanie Edgley is asking for help? That I never thought I would hear!" Fletcher had said with a smile on his lips.
"Quiet! You will get late to work if you do not make yourself ready now. See you tonight." She'd given him a last kiss before she'd laid down the head on the pillow and fallen asleep.
Now when she had been sleeping and had a chance to sleep on it, the feelings of guilt did not feel as awful. Sure, she still felt bad over what had happened, but could at the same time rationalize the whole thing with that she had been sad, been needing a fathom to cry out on and another person that knew what she had been going through. Fletcher had never really gotten to know his parents but had in early years ended up in a foster family that he got along great with and that he saw as his parents. Both were still alive and he had good contact with them.
If he had had a similar childhood as I had with Gordon, Fletcher would probably understand me better, she could not help but think. She got mad at herself for thinking so egoistic, but at the same time it was after all her sorrow and her feelings. No one else could understand how she felt it.
Except for Skulduggery... said a voice in her head that she ignored.
She took a long shower where she scrubbed away all evidence of what had happened last night. While the showers hot rays cleaned her she came to think of a thing that made her cold inwards. She and Skulduggery had not used any protection! She had been so in her own lust that the thought had never occured to her to ask him... She suspected that the thought had not struck him either.
What if she was... pregnant?
She started to count and soon discovered that the opportunity was there. Considering her menstrual cycle she should be in the period where the chance of becoming pregnant was as biggest. She stroked with her hand over her flat stomach and wondered over what a child would mean for her and Fletcher's future. Did Fletcher even want children? Would they be good parents? Was she willing to put a child to the world? She had always been so worried and ill at ease as soon as someone had mentioned that she would be a great mother and that she and Fletcher should have children.
"No idea to incite myself before I know what will happen. The chance is probably not that big. I have more important things to take care of." She turned off the shower and dried herself before walking into the bedroom where she dressed in her detective-outfit: t-shirt, black jeans and a knee-long coat.
Before she departed to work she made breakfast to herself consisting of yoghurt with muesli, a glass of juice and a toast. She ate under silence and let the sound from the apartment and the world outside wash over her. They got her to calm down and think about something else. As for example that it was today she finally would stand eye to eye with the man that had killed her uncle.
Today she would finally meet Nefarian Serpine in the flesh.
She finished her breakfast and put the dish in the dishwasher before she locked the door and walked out to the car. The car ride to the station did not take long and when she parked by her parking space exactly two o'clock she could see that Tanith was already there, since her motorcycle stood parked on the space next to hers. The thought of meeting her colleague and best friend after everything that had happened made her smile big. She really needed someone to talk to.
Tanith were taller than herself with blonde hair and blue eyes. She always wore a leather coat when she went out to be able to hide her sword that she always wore with her as soon as they were on a mission. Under the coat she wore tight shirts and pants that tightened around her figure and that did not left much to the imagination. This Tanith often used to her advantage when they needed to question someone, especially if this someone was of the male sex. Then Tanith was also very good at being threatening. Valkyrie did not know how many times she had seen her colleague get big, strong men to curl up in fear when she laid her gaze on them.
She stepped out of the car and in the same moment that she stepped through the doors she got jumped on by a young woman with blonde hair that hugged her tightly. "Valkyrie! How are you feeling? You're not hurt, are you?" Tanith pulled away a bit from her so she could study her, but kept her hold on her shoulders. "Fletcher called yesterday and was upset since he could not get a hold of you! What have you been up to now?"
Valkyrie laughed. "You know that it is not me that searches up trouble, trouble searches up me. Anyway, I am feeling fine. Nothing has happened to me, nothing that has anything to do with bodily harm at least."
"But why haven't you answered my messages, in that case? Where have you been all night?! You can not scare me like that!"
Valkyrie did not answer at first. She simply did not know how she should begin telling about what had happened last night and what she had figured out. She was also a little afraid of what Tanith would say and think about what had happened. Would Tanith understand why she'd done as she'd did, or would she become angry and disappointed?
Before she had time to begin telling a man came walking towards them. He was dressed in a white shirt, black vest and black jeans. His face was covered in scars, as if he had been in a fight with a bear or wolf. He stopped behind Tanith and laid his arms around her waist. "Tanith, should you not introduce me to your friend?"
To Valkyrie's big surprise Tanith blushed and released her grip on her to be able to give the man a kiss on the cheek. "Ghastly darling, allow me to introduce my colleague and best friend Stephanie Edgley, or Valkyrie Cain that she rather calls herself nowadays."
"Nice meeting you, Valkyrie. My name is Ghastly Bespoke. Tanith's boyfriend." He shook her hand and held it a few seconds longer than was necessary while he looked her deep in the eyes. "So it is you that are Gordon Edgley's niece that has caught my best friend Skulduggery Pleasant's attention?"
Valkyrie's heart began to beat harder. Did Ghastly know Skulduggery? How could he know that they had met? Skulduggery must have told him about their meeting the evening before. How much had he told Ghastly? Did he know that they had... slept with each other? She could not read any answers on the questions she wanted to ask in Ghastly's face. "I don't know what you..." she began but got interrupted by Tanith.
"Who is this Skulduggery and how do you know him, Valkyrie?"
"We... We met yesterday evening. I gave him a ride home. He was out walking in the rain and I felt sorry for him so I gave him a ride." Valkyrie looked at Tanith. "You have already met him. Skulduggery is Inspector Me."
Tanith stared at Valkyrie for several seconds before she said anything. "Wait a minute... So you mean that the person I have worked side by side with for under several weeks is best friend both with my boyfriend and your uncle Gordon?"
Valkyrie nodded. "It seems that way."
"Excuse me for interrupting, but I need to drive back to Roarhaven now. One of our new prisoners that should have been transported to us early this morning was found dead in his cell yesterday night. I have been here all morning trying to unravel what's happened." Ghastly gave Tanith a kiss on the mouth that made Valkyrie turn her head in embarassment. "We'll see each other later, babe. Nice meeting you, Valkyrie."
Ghastly turned around to leave, but when he had walked just a few steps he stopped. "Oh, that's right! I almost forgot." He put his hand in the pocket of his vest and picked up an envelope. "I was supposed to give this to you. From Skulduggery."
"Oh... Thanks..." Valkyrie said with hesitating voice and recieved the envelope. When Ghastly had disappeared she turned to Tanith with a smile on her lips. "Boyfriend, huh?"
"Hey! I also gotta have fun sometimes, don't I? Besides, I believe in this. And before you say anything, so yes, I am fully aware of been saying so before, but this time I really mean it. There is something special with Ghastly."
"Well, he has scars over his whole face."
"Except for those, I mean! I can not explain it, but he feels just like I have always imagined 'Mister Right' to feel like. I am totally aware that I am probably sounding like a cliche now, but he makes me feel beautiful, loved and like I can be myself. I do not have to pretend to be someone that I aren't around him, but I can be myself."
Valkyrie continued to smile and gave her best friend a big hug. "I am happy for your sake. Hope it works out and that you will be happy together."
"Enough talking about me now!" Tanith released Valkyrie and pulled her to their working places. "Now I want to hear everything about your encounter with Inspector Me! Or Skulduggery Pleasant as his real name apparently is. What happened between you two?"
"I do not know what you are talking about."
"Come on! The way Ghastly mentioned you, 'that has caught my best friend Skulduggery Pleasant's attention', indicates that something more must have happened between the two of you than you just giving him a ride home."
Valkyrie blushed and that made Tanith's eyebrows rise so high up that Valkyrie thought they would disappear up in her hair. She knew that she could not back now, that now she must tell Tanith what had happened. Tanith had always been good at reading her and see when there was something she did not tell. "Well... I would lie if I say that it did not happen anything..." she started but interrupted herself.
"Yes?" Tanith said without letting go of her gaze.
"You know that I love Fletcher and that we have been experiencing some problems under our relationship that we've managed to solve, right?" Tanith nodded. "I still want to be together with him, but ever since Gordon died... I don't know, the last few weeks have been tough for us both. We drifted apart from each other, which resulted in that we started to argue more and more. As you probably also have noticed I have been working overtime a lot the last weeks, simply to avoid having to think about never be able to see Gordon again. We stood so close to each other and know that he's gone it's like a piece of me is missing, as if I have lost a piece that never will come back."
Tears began to form in Valkyrie's eyes that she stroked away irritately. She wouldn't start crying now! "Anyway... When I met Skulduggery there by the side of the road... I don't know. We instantly felt drawn to each other, as if we were one and the same. Such an attraction I have never felt towards Fletcher under the years we've been together. We also pretty quickly noticed that we are alike in many ways. The way we talk, how we think... We even have the same job, god dammit! I do not know how to explain it, but I think the attraction we felt for each other is something similiar to what you feel for Ghastly. If I had not been together with Fletcher..."
"You probably would have started a relationship with Skulduggery Pleasant", Tanith finished for her.
Valkyrie nodded. "Yes, and it terrifies me while I at the same time gets filled with excitment, curiosity and... lust. I can not stop thinking about him, Tanith! The way he looked at me, on his velvety voice, how his hands and body felt against mine... It was as if it was intentional that we should meet! As if we are meant for each other! I am so split... I do not know what to believe, think or feel..."
"Now wait a minute... So you mean that you and him... that you actually...?"
"Slept with each other? Yes." Valkyrie pulled her hands through her hair in a frustrated gesture. "I cheated on Fletcher yesterday evening and when I came home to him early this morning I felt so bad that I also had sex with Fletcher, as penance!"
Tanith said nothing, just laid her arms around Valkyrie in a comforting embrace. Valkyrie pushed her face against Tanith's shoulder and let the tears flow. She had not dared to release the tears at home, in fear of scaring Fletcher and by mistake say too much. Even though she felt so horrible for what she had done, she had no intention of telling anything to Fletcher. She knew that if he found out their relationship would be over, since he had made clear for her at the beginning of their relationship that he did not accept any kind of infidelity, not even a little kiss.
Tanith stroked her back slowly and whispered things like "Everything is going to be alright, Val", "I am here for you" and "You can do this, you are a strong woman". Her best friend's calming voice made Valkyrie relax and it did not take long before the tears stopped pour so heavily. After yet another moment she felt so calm that she could take a step backwards and dry away the tears that still poured down her cheeks. She took a really deep breath that she kept inside for several seconds before she let it out in a really deep sigh.
"Feeling better?" Tanith wondered and gave Valkyrie a small smile.
Valkyrie nodded. "Yes. Thank you, Tanith. What would I do without you?"
"You would probably be a real wreck by now with wrinkles as long as your arms." Tanith laughed and gave Valkyrie another hug. "Joking aside, Val. How do you feel, really? I understand that you must feel awful after what you have done, but as you said yourself I actually understand why you did it. If you ask me it sounds like you needed comfort from another, unknown person that did not know you or what you have gone through. I would even like to go so far as to say that this maybe was just what you needed and that you went through a different kind of therapy."
Valkyrie couldn't help but smile at Tanith's theory. "'Different kind of therapy' was a very interesting way to see the whole thing in, I gotta admit."
Before Tanith had time to respond their boss, China Sorrows, walked into the room. Today she was wearing a close-fitting, green dress that fit tight around her body. Her raven-black hair was out today and her blue eyes radiated irritation. "Cain, Low, there you are! I've been looking for you two."
"Yes, miss Sorrows?" Valkyrie said and stretched herself. "What do you need help with?"
"Please, Valkyrie, I've told you that you don't need to be so formal around me! Anyway, we have a passing that I want you both to check out. One of our prisoners was found dead in his cell yesterday. He was strangled by a for the time being unknown object and the perpetrator is also him for the time being unknown."
"How did he get in here without arousing suspection?" Tanith asked and had now become the assassin that everyone respected and that all criminals feared.
"We do not know. I suspect that he has either bribed one of the guards or that he knows this place so good that he can slither pass our security. Whatever the reason might be till how he managed to murder Nefarian Serpine without being discovered, I want you two to figure out how and why."
Valkyrie's insides grew cold. Had she really been hearing correct? Was Nefarian Serpine, her uncle's killer, really... dead? No, it could not be true! She must have heard wrong. China must be wrong!
"Cain, do you listen to what I'm saying?!"
China's hard voice got Valkyrie to twitch and she looked up into China's blue eyes. "So... sorry, miss Sorrows. I... just got... so chocked by the news."
China's face softened a little and she gave Valkyrie's shoulder a light push. "I understand that you have had a few rough weeks, but now it is time to stop mourn and take care of reality, Valkyrie. I know how much you have wanted Gordon's killer to get caught. We all have on the department. Unfortunately someone else got to him first before we managed to put him in prison. It is up to you and Tanith to find the killer. In that way you can continue with your life, that I promise you."
Valkyrie nodded and gave herself a mental bitch slap. She must continue to stay focused and not let her personal feelings take over. If she did that she would never be able to find the murderer and get a closure. She turned towards Tanith and gave her a nod. "Shall we begin, then?"
Tanith smiled and nodded back. "Let's go, partner!"
Both followed China to the morgue that lay in the house next door and when they got there Valkyrie could see Serpine's dead body lay on a stretcher with only a blanket that covered his private parts. His skin was as white as wax and his eyes was bloodshot. Around the neck a nasty, ugly bruise could be seen where he had been strangled. Considering the shape Valkyrie suspected that it could be a belt or something similiar, but she could not be totally sure.
"Who could have a strong enough motive for wanting to kill Serpine?" Valkyrie asked and turned towards Tanith and China after studying Serpine's body.
"Many. He was after all a big maffia boss and ruled over most of the criminal activities in Roarhaven, which was the reason for why Ghastly Bespoke was here earlier today. Serpine would have been imprisoned in Roarhaven until the trial and he would have been picked up early this morning by Ghastly and some others", China answered.
Maffia boss? Valkyrie froze when she came to think about what Skulduggery had told her. He had said that he had angered a maffia boss and it was thanks to that man that his family had lost their lives. He had also said that he finally had managed to capture him and got his revenge. But Serpine could not be the same... or?
"He just got what he deserved. He has been giving out orders of many innocent peoples deaths and even killed some of them himself, like for example your uncle, Valkyrie." Tanith looked at her. "Did you know there's also a rumor that he would have killed one of our collegues wife and child from Roarhaven? This apparently should have happened many years ago, but that doesn't change the fact that Serpine was a cold-blooded killer."
So it was true... Serpine was the man that had killed Skulduggery Pleasant's family. Which also meant that it was Skulduggery himself that had killed Serpine.
He had finally got his revenge.