Chapter 10:
Valerie watched in shock as her father pushed her towards the window. Looking back at him one more time, she imagined the Sheriff barging in with shackles in his gloved hand. She turned and jumped. Cesaire can smell the scent of danger approaching from behind the closed door only making him even more urgent. The window closed behind him. He hears the turning of the window lock, assuring him his daughter was out of sight and out of harm. Closing his eyes for a moment, he concentrated, and slowly walks across the floor like he is only a thin rope 1,000 feet in the air. The smell of danger is closer. He half expects, half hopes, to smell his enemy leaving. But he doesn't.
It's his cage nemesis, Charz.
His ultimate rival. Born and bred in the Lower Class, Charz has been known for his criminal deeds and cruel actions. Ever since he was a young lad, he's been labeled as a menace. The man is banging on his door in a hateful manner, nearly banging his fist to a pulp. Cesaire could already feel his anger bubble, smelling his nemesis.
"CARLISLE!" he shouts.
Losing his patience, the eldest werewolf approaches the door and swings it open, prepared for a punch in the face or a knife in the gut. There is no such assault. Instead there's a shadow at the door, leaning against the frame. Cesaire growls at his presence. Hearing his voice is the worst part.
"Goo' evenin' ain't it, King?" he says cooly.
Cesaire cringes.
The man teases, his thick foreign accent dripping from his black rotting teeth. The man is very unattractive. His smile and sinister eyes are so perfectly mirrored to his rotten soul. His big boots step forward like a horse.
"King…" he whispers, his tongue licking his black beard above his lips, slick with rum and tobacco.
"Oi! Ya hear me! Ya hear me! Ain't a soul in a THOUSAND miles be damned if they. Don't. know. The. Great. KINNNG!"
He yells loud, disturbing the entire building! His voice is the worst part. Charz was always like this. Either drunk or sober, it didn't matter. The veins on his neck never seem to relax, just like his dark humor and wild temper. He pointed a finger at him.
"Ah knew you would return!" Charz, a lean well-built man, strides looking in all directions except him, swinging his arms up like a champion. "Ah knew it! And they all said ye were too good for Mr. Woodsten, bless that man, and Ah said that you would come back! Ne'er to return to his throne on top these filthy dead mangy streets of our harridans! A throne above thrones! A throne only fit for a King! Ah knew—Ah knew—Ah knew you'd come back! Oh hail the blunt stars! Ah can feel the air in my lungs and oh holy mother, Ah am feeling pretty damn good—good- good."
Charz grinned squeezing his hands together. He wrung his shirt like he would to an enemies neck.
"What do you want, Charz?"
"Wha…?" he opens his mouth, "WWWha…!?" he laughs, clicking his heels. "What do Ah want? What do Ah want!? Oof, don't be so stoopud, Carlisle, you know what Ah want. And it ain't the cost of your shiny coin eitharr…! Last time Ah heard, you were worth more than a shiny coin shit straight out from our mayor arse!"
Charz walks to the wall bangs both his palms on the wood, causing a ruckus and smiles his signature smile. The smile that means he's up to no good. Cesaire never loses his sights on him. The smell of mischief begins to grow.
"Rematch!"
"I 'm not here for this again Charz and you know it! This isn't about pride anymore! I'm not doing this to feed my ego. It was never about any of that. I'm doing this for money. There's no reason where you and I have to relive the past —"
"REMAAATCH!" Charz swoops forward; his nose an inch away from Cesaire, and his eyes are big and wild. Charz's pupils dilate and redilate again channeling his anger and determination to his hands.
"Rematch…." He whispers through his teeth. "Ah I want me rematch. Ya think ya can steal me crown? That is where ye's wrong, Carlisle." Charz seethed through his teeth. He points a finger, sitting in a chair. "You stole that from me."
"I didn't mean to steal anything." Cesaire sat across from him, weaving his fingers together.
"You stole that from me."
"I needed the money."
"You stole that from me."
"If there was any way that I could erase what I've done to you, I would do it."
With both fists, the wild man flips the table over. Plates and other materials go crashing! Barking, Charz comes face to face with his old nemesis, skidding his feet against the floorboards in speed.
"AAAAHHHHH! You STOLE my title from me." He barked in his face. "And now that you're back, Ah want a rematch, you son of a bitch. If you don't accept me challenge then Ah can promise you this ain't the last of it! You never want to see the worst of a man who's got nothing to lose."
"Charz… you don't know… what you're getting into…" Cesaire glared dangerously. There was a truth to that.
His knees lifted him from his seat, pushing Charz from his personal space, backing him away. His black eyes never left the blue eyes of the challenger. He was the Alpha, he never looks away first. Charz, pivots back, intimidated but still unafraid.
"Of course Ah want what you stole from me. T'was the only damn thing that mattered in my tiny little ugly world. Because once you're a dog… you're always a dog in this sin city. All these hard boiled folks here don't got nowhere to go. And neither do Ah…" Charz whispered, moving his lips over his teeth as if he had an itch. "You think it's easy to forget!? To plunge your hands into the blood so that she'll eat tonight!? No! No! No one sees the world like ol' Charz! What about me!? What about me!? What about ol' Charz!? Doesn't anyone think of ol' Charzy!? Can anyone or someone say a prayer for me!?"
Cesaire glared, narrowing his eyes.
"You don't know no good, you know that!? You know no good. Hah-hah! Ah can see it in them eyes, Carlisle! You know no good just as much as Ah do! Ya don't know what it's like to be hungry. It's all about surviving…"
"You're not getting your rematch."
"But THAT is where you're wrong, King. Because once you get a taste of Mr. Woodsten's world… you'll never find a cure. No cure for this world, Carlisle. You ain't getting out easy especially when you're Mr. Woodsten's favorite fighter. Ain't nowhere to hide. Ain't nowhere to go. Because it's very hard to resist a dame's lust… ESPECIALLY… little harridan named April strutting around like a jackal in sheep's clothing. Yey? Yey? Oi, Ah know! Ah know what she can do. Mmhmmm, she can get any man hot on their collar, ey…."
What both men didn't realize was that they began to circle each other. In that little square room, both men walked in a rhythm that only predators know.
"You'll leave her out of this," Cesaire growled.
"Or wha? You'll beat me ta death?" Charz smiled his jack-o-lantern smile. "You'll wring my neck? You'll do nothing! Mmmhmmm, it's how Ah like meh women. Ripe."
From the ceiling, a mighty thud, as if someone picked up a bed and flung it down! Pow! Both men go quiet. Charz steps back and doesn't realize that Carlisle has suddenly vanished from the room quicker than a bolt of lightning.
"Wa' tha' bloody hell…?" he looks up at the ceiling. Returning his gaze he realizes his nemesis is gone!
On the rooftop, Cesaire has appeared. Looking around he sees his daughter lying face-down holding her stomach coughing up little pools of blood. Rushing to his daughter and eased her into his lap, cooing her to comfort.
"Valerie? Baby girl? Baby, talk to me. Say anything!"
"Papa…" she winced. "My stomach."
He kissed her forehead. "That's your body growing, baby girl. Your body is getting ready for when the time comes during the full moon, you'll turn wolf without the transformation being painful." He kissed her head, rocking her like a new-borne babe. "It'll pass, Valerie. We just have to be strong. The Full moon is almost here and your body won't be in much pain anymore."
"Papa…" she whispered, raising her hand. "My fingers."
He gazed upon her hand seeing her fingernails bleed, a terrible consequence. Valerie choked, leaned over and gushed a fountain of blood, choked, and began to heave. It was worsening. Her father raised her from her feet and carried her back to their home, through the window, laid her to bed and placed a hot rag over her forehead.
"Sleep," he said. "The full moon is in three days. Your body won't be able to handle the transformation by yourself. Tomorrow you're not going back to the bakery. Tell your friend that you're calling in sick." He dabbed the cloth into the bowl of hot water, squeezed, then returned to her forehead. "In a couple of minutes, your body will go into a state of a high fever. You will heat up, exert more blood, and a soft pain will come to your ribs to try and strengthen your bones." He dabbed and squeezed again. "Do not fear. I will not leave your side, baby girl."
"H-H-How long w-w-will this last?"
"A day."
"A whole d-day!?"
"Yes, baby girl. Do not fear. Papa is here for you. Anything you need, I will serve." He dabbed and squeezed again, patting her head. "I'm here baby girl. I'm here."
Meanwhile:
The walls of the city were built many, many, many years ago dividing the forest from the citizens. It's structure proved to be excellent. Keeping citizens in and strangers out. But as any other day, the gatemen were introduced to a new company. Suspicious and unfriendly, the gatemen called for the city Sheriff.
"My name is Father Solomon and these are my acquaintances, Henry Lazar and my second in command. We are here in the word of God seeking abominations, horrors, and atrocities and bring them to holy justice. We travel from the village of Daggorhorn, which was occupied by a werewolf, but is no more infested."
"Yes, I know who you are Father Solomon. I've heard of your work from distant towns and townsfolk. They are stories that I thought I would never hear in my lifetime. I trust you have papers?"
"Yes."
"Thank you. And if I do say so myself, are you here looking for anything here in our city? A ghoul? Troll? Or perhaps a warlock?"
He smiled, "Nothing Is officially ruled out. Once Henry and I do a thorough and clean investigation everywhere we can and if we do find something out the ordinary, we will enforce our duties as holy men. Evil is always looking for a foothold somewhere. What makes you as such a question?"
"As a man of the law, I am entrusted to secure your safety, security, and protection which commands me to announce to you what is happening here in our quaint city. For the past week, my associate and I have been on the hunt for a murderer here."
"A murder?"
"Yes. But… may we talk somewhere more private? My office perhaps."
"Certainly."
Henry and the elite company stood outside the Sheriff's quarters completely covered in their cloaks, ever watchful and studious. They stood against the stone acting like gargoyles, protecting their circle, waiting for their leader to be done with discussion. Inside the office, the Sheriff poured drinks. Ale in two cups. The Father showed his appreciation.
"I don't think I've introduced myself. I'm Sheriff Williams."
"Nice to meet you."
"Likewise, Father. So… a little bird tells me that… you're chasing a demon across the country?" chuckled the Sheriff.
Solomon excused his mocking.
"Not specifically a demon, more like a parasite. Demons are much different than ghosts. But I'm here for something much more important. Something more… urgent that needs my upmost care and attention. I can't share the entire details with you. For… your… own safety."
The Sheriff grinned, "Well, for the… city's… safety, I can't allow you to go parading the streets telling people that there's two problems here. It won't go well."
"It is reasonable. People will panic. A murderer and an abomination in one area? Wouldn't do you any good, Sheriff. I imagine the Mayor is in enough stress."
"Yes, it would do no good. But… as a law abiding citizen and a man of devote religion, I give you access to the city to practice what you wish. I can't deny you that. Just as long as you do not cause a public or civil disturbance, then you will not be bothered by me or my awaiting constables. But you must give me your word, Father."
"I give you my word."
"Then I give you mine."
"We keep our businesses to ourselves."
Meanwhile:
"There's someone outside the door," Valerie whispered. "I can smell it. I-I can smell it…"
"Shshshsh," he soothed," I can smell it, too. It doesn't smell like danger, thought. Stay here. If anything happens… run."
He squeezed her hand.
Walking to the door, the elder wolf could smell fear and anxiety. Opening, he saw a young girl shivering in her cloak with tears running down her face. She was from the Lower Class. Yet, her beauty still shone.
"A-Are you Carlisle?" she asked, revealing her blue eyes and blonde hair. "I need to speak with him immediately."
"I am Carlisle." He stepped through the door, closed it behind him, now they both stood in the hallway. Better to distance her from his daughter. "Who are you and what do you want?"
"M-My name is Vanessa. My mother is April."
He nodded," Yes, I know the name. We know eachother."
"S-She's been taken!" the young girl sobbed, covering her mouth to stop a scream. "S-S-She was taken from her bedroom and n-n-now I don't know w-where she is! She never leaves the house after midnight! She never leaves! And now I-I don't know what to do!" the girl sobbed and sniffled. "Sh-She told me that you were capable of helping. When I saw her bedroom was empty, I got scared and I ran! I ran as fast as I could! I didn't want to be alone in the house! What if the murderer has taken her!?"
"Keep your voice down. Someone could hear you. Calm yourself. Did she say she was going anywhere or meeting anyone?"
"No."
"Why didn't you go to the Sheriff about this? Report it."
"If he knows that she sells her body, we'll both be thrown in the cell!"
Cesaire shook his head, understanding. "Alright, calm down. I can't let you come in yet. I need to ask you questions. But first, you need to calm down. Take a deep breathe. Gather yourself and concentrate."
She wiped her eyes, "Alright."
He eyed her dangerously, "When you left the house, did anyone see you leave?"
"No, I don't think so—"
"I don't want you to guess," he snarled at her. "I need you to know. Did anyone see you leave?"
"N-No," she stammered.
"Do you have any reason to suspect that someone followed you?"
"No."
"Does anyone else know that your mother has disappeared?"
"No."
He nodded his head, scratching his chin, "This last question is important: Did Mr. Woodsten send you?"
"No."
He tried to look for any cracks in her confession, "Did anyone send you here?"
"No." she wiped her eyes. "Please, no one sent me. I'm here on my own. My mother is missing and there's a murderer out there killing people. The more time we spend here, the less chance she'll make it!"
The young girl was honest. He could smell it on her. She truly was in trouble. The wolf side of him wanted to chase her off and let her solve her own problems but the human side of him felt pity and compassion for the young girl and wanted to console her like he would a daughter. The wolf and human talked to eachother within his conscience and decided.
"Your mother told me that you are sick with the measles?"
"I've been sick for nearly 4 days and it's getting worse day by day. My skin is turning ugly and horrid while my eyes are beginning to see red. I understand if you don't want me to come in. The plague has been destroying everything these days. She told me that you have a daughter. I can sleep somewhere else-"
"No. It's alright. Your sickness won't affect me or my daughter."
Vanessa looked at him, bewildered. He did hear her correctly, didn't he?
"B-But you could both die," she puzzled. "I don't want to be responsible for that. I can't! I've already suffered through too much and I can't let you and your daughter suffer too. My mother taught me to be kind and noble. I can't offer you gold but I can give you my true clarity and good honesty. I might be on my way to the grave but I can show you that I have a full heart and as much spirt as you do and it would anguish me to rid you of that."
Trembling, she coughed into her sleeve. Touching her shoulder, he softly smiled. What a lovely thing. She reminded him so much of his dear Lucy.
He shook his head, "Trust me. You have no effect on us."
Meanwhile:
Henry followed Father Solomon to the Inn. Their room would suit their needs. Henry threw his equipment upon the bed and followed his mentor to the table, laying out a map, and planning their next move. The Captain warned Solomon of the undercover constables guarding the Inn and they should be wary of any other distractions. The Festival of Flags would begin in 2 days and Solomon fears that the beast would take its next victim there.
Henry brushed back his hair and thought different.
"What if the beast was smarter than that?"
"Pray tell."
"The Wolf is a beast that hunts best in shadow. But what if this wasn't that kind of hunter?"
"That didn't stop the beast from killing its victims in Daggorhorn the night the people celebrated. The men returned with the head of a common grey wolf."
"Well… what if it wants us to think it would hunt there? Don't you see? It's perfectly set up. It's too perfect. It acts like a decoy. The Wolf wouldn't kill at the Festival of Flags or else it would be trapping itself in its own cage. Every constable would be hunting for it all across the city. It wouldn't want a 'repeat' like in Daggorhorn. It's smarter than that." Henry said, earning the look of respect from his mentor.
"Then where would it kill next?" he asked.
Henry thought, "It would kill where no one would notice. Where… no would think to look. In the last place we all would expect."
"We have at least 10 points of investigation. This city is very large with plenty of hiding spots. The Lower Class, the Middle Class, and the Upper Class runs for miles and miles. We'll never find anything in time before the Festival. We need more time. We'll split in teams. Here, here, here, here and here," Father Solomon pointed to the red dots on the map. "You and I will go here."
"Why there?"
He pointed, "The river is a common place for predators to eat their meal when their den is nowhere nearby. The river washes away corpses best. It also serves as… an escape route. The river starts here and cuts the city in 4 sections and then they all reconnect near the Mayor's house leading to the lake. The river connects to the lake and the lake connects to the river touching the mountain and several hundred miles going to the east—leads to the ocean." Solomon slipped a parchment from his pocket, unrolled it to reveal a City Notice he tore from a wall. "The Sheriff told me that there has been disappearance's in the city in the past week and a few days ago they discovered a fisherman was murdered. His body was found at the beginning of the river. To the north and to the south, we'll set up a perimeter to block the exits so no one gets in and no one gets out. One murder is all I need."
"When do we start?"
Solomon patted his shoulder," Tonight." He gave a soft smile to the young lad, seeing his nervousness. "Are you ready, son?"
He shook his head, gripping the hilt of his sword, "We'll just have to see."
Father Solomon excused them from his elite company and escorted Henry to another room, sat down and unsheathed his sword, the holy sword. Henry sat down across from him watching the silver blade blink light in his eyes, perfectly sharpened and polished. Father Solomon laid the blade on the table.
He spoke, "I know how you felt when we were back in the village when you destroyed that witch, Henry."
The young man did not move.
"Many times I told myself that being on my path would lead me to dark and dangerous obstacles. It wouldn't be easy. It would never be easy. That someday my deeds would come crashing down upon me. What you need to know: is that I do everything for the good of humanity. That's what you need to know."
"…What do you want me to say…?" Henry whispered, weaving his fingers together, resting his wrists on his knees. "You want me to say that what I did to that woman made me feel proud or th-that it made me feel invincible? That there shouldn't be any regrets? Killing people will never give me the feeling of superiority. Is that what you want to hear?"
"No. I want you to say that when the time comes… you'll do the right thing."
"What if the 'right thing' is disguised as the 'wrong thing'? What if there is no way to erase the past? That's what we do, Father Solomon, isn't it? What we're doing now…? We're trying to erase the past… by doing what we do."
Killing wolves to patch the pain of killing his own wife.
Killing wolves to patch the pain of killing his bride-to-be.
It was a snake eating its own tail, the cycle will never end.
"We do what we do because God wants us to. I chose the life of a holy man and you chose the life of a brave one and there is no doubt in my mind that there isn't any other way to live." He scooted closer. "You and I are the same, Henry. You might not see it or you might disagree but you have the purpose. As long as you have purpose then I ask no more than that."
The young man looked into his eyes, "We will never be the same."
Meanwhile:
"My daughter is not feeling well. She's going to stay in bed for the entire day."
"Please, Carlisle, are you sure that I insist on staying?"
He poked his head around the corner, "Yes. You may sit here while I make us all something to eat."
Vanessa sat down, "I've… never been… in a Middle Class house… before."
They had many great things here that she and her mother did not possess back in the Lower Class section of the city, things like fully furnished tables and chairs with nuts and bolts. This man and his daughter had two beds. Two beds! In one house! No, scratch that, in two rooms! Two beds in two separate rooms!
She and her mother (and her sister once) shared a bed with only one room. The bedroom was the kitchen, the dining room and the socializing room. Deep down, Vanessa wished she would always live in a place like this.
"Here," Cesaire gave her a bowl. "Wait here."
The man disappeared into the room of his daughter and she could hear him talking to her, soothing her with kind fatherly words, like to a small helpless babe. Dipping her spoon into the bowl she slowly began to eat her meal while thinking to herself that April, her mother, must've fallen in love with him for a reason. Already, Vanessa was beginning to see what her mother described.
He was a kind, gentle, noble and handsome man trying to find happiness in this world—but his happiness came directly from his daughter. Like a string has formed and tied beneath his left ribs connecting him to his daughter and if that string would snap—he would be in terrible anguish. Carefully listening, she could hear his voice. He spoke so softly.
Her mother had told her daughter that she dreamed of being with Carlisle, but his devotion to his children stopped that dream from coming true. How sad and tragic. Vanessa believes that Carlisle has no idea what April feels for him.
He exited the room, "My daughter is asleep and she'll be sleeping for a while. Her door is locked shut and only I have the key. Now, I want you to stay here and don't go anywhere. Do you understand me? You don't leave for anything. I will go to your home and search for clues and start from there."
"Yes."
"You don't open the door for anyone. When I return, you'll know it's me."
"Alright."
Without another word, Cesaire disappeared out of the apartment.
(A/N): Ok, ok, ok I know that it's been a very long time since I've uploaded a chapter and I'm so sorry. I had writers block and I felt uninspired. So I'm going to try to keep the mystery going. OKAY so we know that April is in love with Cesaire, but she's missing! Father Solomon and Sheriff Williams met. Valerie is going through some wolf problems. Madame Alice is still missing and her son is dead! Charz is the nemesis of Cesaire. Who took who? Who's the murderer? So…. what will happen next? Thanks! Review!