Disclaimer: I don't own the intellectual rights to Vampyr.
Death.
The voice echoed around him in the void he found himself in.
Since the apple was plucked from the sacred tree, mortality was believed to be God's punishment.
He tried to find the source of the voice. He tried to call out to whoever was speaking but no sound came out.
A righteous snare to keep mankind from ascending to the stars.
There was a pinprick of light. He ran towards it. Was he running? Did he even have a body to run with?
They were all so wrong. Death is not a wicked thing, nor some holy retribution.
It didn't seem matter. The light was getting closer. Or he was getting closer to it. The voice still echoed around him but it didn't matter. Only the light in this endless void mattered.
A true punishment would be to never know its sweet kiss.
He was so close now. But couldn't get any closer. The light stayed away from him. He wanted to claw his way to it but wasn't sure he even had a body to claw with.
Awaken from the harshness and be born once more.
It didn't matter. The light grew brighter until it engulfed all of the void. Jonathan Reid gasped when the light engulfed him too.
Jonathan kept breathing as the light faded and he could see again.
Corpses! Rotting corpses all around him! He pushed the one closest to him away. Voices echoed far away in this grey nightmare he found himself in. The frightened and confused doctor crawled towards the opening of the pit. He pulled himself out, nearly stumbling backwards right back into the mass grave.
With the immediate danger passed, Reid felt an all-consuming thirst. Every other thought was smothered by this great need. He could hear a pounding that was close. His body instinctually moved towards it; knowing that that pounding would bring an end to this painful thirst.
There! A pulsing red light! Every fibre of his being screamed for him to go to that pulsing light. He staggered closer and tried to grab it. The light turned around and grabbed him by both shoulders. A muffled voice spoke to him but he couldn't hear it over the pounding. Whatever was being said didn't matter anyways. The pulsing light tried to steer him back towards the pit but he would not be moved. An overpowering urge overcame him and with every bit of his fading strength, he grabbed tight at whatever held that light and bit down as hard as he could where the light was easiest to reach.
Something hot and delicious filled his mouth and it was all he could do to swallow. Whatever he held tight struggled to break free but that only added to the ecstasy. He drank until the ambrosia slowed. He let go of the fading light and griped his chest as the warmth spread through him. Finally, he could stand and breathe. Finally, he could think of something other than that unholy thirst. Colour flooded his world along with the sound of gasping. He looked down to see a man reaching up at him, looking at him in horror. Jonathan tore off a piece of his shirt and tried to stop the flow streaming from the man's neck but it was too late.
"What have I done? This horror, it's a nightmare…" He closed the man's eyes. A horrified gasp made him realize he wasn't alone. He looked up to see Mary a few steps away with her hands covering her mouth. "Mary!" he stood up and took a step forward but stopped when she stepped back.
"Brother, what you done?" Tears streamed down her face.
"Get away from her, you beast!" Armed men ran towards them. "You killed him, you leech!"
The confused and scared doctor turned to them and held out his hands to show he was unarmed. "No! Please, a moment. Let me explain," he begged.
A man shot him in the shoulder. "Kill it!"
"Jonathan, run!" Mary grabbed his hand and tugged him along behind her.
"These patrols are after me!" Jonathan guessed. "Why are you running?"
"You're mad if you think I would leave you while armed men chased you!" Mary argued.
They came to an opening to see another man with a gun. The good doctor stepped in front of his sister to shield her from any stray bullets. "No, no! Don't shoot!" He pleaded. The man didn't listen and Jonathan grunted when another bullet struck him. "This is a nightmare!" He led the two of them up a set of stairs. "We need to get out of here!"
The siblings continued to run through the empty streets. "This can't be happening!" Mary shouted, chest heaving as she tried to keep up with her brother. "Jonathan, wait for me!" Jonathan slowed down to give his sister a chance to catch her breath.
More men came rushing towards them. "Please stop!" He begged once again but his plea was once more ignored. "I mean you no harm!" unwilling to waste any more time, Jonathan scooped up his sister and started to flee once again. He only set her down when they were far enough away and the shine of a machete caught his eye. "Now I can defend us…" He slashed his way through the barrels blocking their path. Mary stayed close behind him.
"Kill the thing!" A hunter ordered. More bullets struck Jonathan.
"Who are you? Stay back!" He brandished the machete threateningly in hopes of scaring off the man.
"Be careful!" Mary called out and hid behind a crate. She squeezed her eyes shut at the wet thud the body made when it hit the ground.
"Sorry, but you left me no choice!" Jonathan apologized and helped Mary up. The two continued to run.
"Don't let it out of your sight!" The hunter commanded, chasing after the duo.
"Who are you?" Jonathan demanded of the man blocking the entrance to the warehouse. The man didn't answer and fired at him.
The doctor was forced to take another life. "I'm sorry," he apologized again.
The two continued to run and were interrupted by two more men. "Please stop this!" Mary pleaded. She had no better luck than her brother at getting the men to listen.
"Who are you?" Jonathan demanded again as he cut through the men. He was disturbed by how easily the blade went through his attackers. He opened the doors to see a man pointing a gun at him. "We mean you no harm. I, I need help." He lifted his hands slowly to the armed man.
"Die, you fucking leech!" The hunter cursed and pulled the trigger. Jonathan braced himself for yet another bullet wound. The gun only clicked. The hunter's bravery quickly left him.
"Please, listen to me…I can't make any sense of this…" The man dropped the gun and tried to escape but Jonathan got in his way. He grabbed the man by the shoulders while he struggled to get away.
"Shut up, you beast!" The man hissed.
"Who are you? What is all this about?" He asked. Sunlight rose above the rooftops and struck his right side, immediately burning him. "Ah! What in God's…" He cried out as smoke rose from his burning form.
"Jonathan!" Mary shouted and ran to try and block at least some of the sun burning her brother.
"The sun will do the rest of the job!" The hunter gloated.
Jonathan threw the man away from them and retreated into the shadows. "Just, just leave us!" The man wasted no time fleeing for his life. The pained doctor staggered into the next warehouse and allowed his sister to fuss over him while he gathered his strength.
"My God, Jonathan," Mary gasped, watching him heal.
"The sun! It feels like it's burning me to the bone!" He grunted. The burning faded completely and they were able to continue on. "We have to keep moving." Mary nodded and they left the warehouse.
"We need to find somewhere to hide!" She trembled.
A man with flaming arrows started firing at him. "Mary! Stay back!" He ordered and rushed at the man, dodging a flaming arrow. Jonathan quickly took the man down.
Mary ran past him to a red door with "Keep Out" painted on it. She tried the knob and the door opened. "Jonathan, over here!" She called. Jonathan followed behind her. "Is anybody there?" She yelled. "What is this place?" She wondered while her brother pushed a large and heavy looking shelving unit in front of the door.
"The place seems abandoned," he commented, "we should be safe enough here." With some form of safety achieved, the siblings began to explore the abandoned home. Jonathan picked up a picture of a man and woman while Mary moved onto the next room. His mind traveled back to the man who had the misfortune to cross paths with him earlier. Brother, what you done? Echoed in his mind. Mary's tear-stained face burned in his memory. "I'm sorry. Whoever did this to us I will find them," he muttered.
Mary cried out in the other room and Jonathan rushed to her side. She stood in front of a clearly dead woman on the floor with her hands covering her mouth. Jonathan knelt down to examine the remains. He picked up the gold pocket watch by her hand. A memory came forth unbidden.
"Wait! This one's dressed up fancy! Let's run through his pockets."
"Picking the dead's pockets? You serious?"
"I've still a rent to pay. He's got no more responsibilities." A hand rifled through his pockets. "What's this? A golden pocket watch!"
"Beautiful it is. We fence it and share the takings. I suppose we are undertakers. Now give him a heave." The hands throw him into the pit.
His hand closed around the watch when the memory faded. "That's impossible." He pockets the watch.
"What's impossible?" Mary asked.
"Two undertakers threw me into the mass grave. They said I was dead," he answered. He stood up.
"Of course, you weren't dead," she argued, "you're here and alive."
They made their way upstairs where Jonathan stopped in front of a mirror. The puncture wound on his neck caught his attention and he examined it in the mirror. Another memory rose from the depths.
"Twelve dreams for the red queen that sleeps under crown of stone." A voice echoed around him. "That she might linger longer, her eyes white as bone."
"Who goes there?" He called out, looking for the source.
"A prayer for the summoned by warring song, a child born from darkness must take scent of his path."
"Who's there? Are you referring to me?" He cried out as something sharp embedded itself in his neck. He felt himself getting weaker while his blood was being drained. Just before darkness claimed him, he was dropped to the ground. No! No…I still have so much to accomplish! He though and then knew no more.
"I still have so much left that needs doing." He walked away from the mirror and ignored Mary's confused stare. The two walked into the bedroom and saw the corpse of a man in the chair.
"Poor man," Mary sighed. Jonathan pocketed the empty syringe on the end table and pulled the gun from the dead man's hands.
Johnny, this one's lost! We need to leave, and now!"
"No! There's still time! I can save him!"
"That's the enemy coming! The orders are to evacuate the hospital!"
"Done! He'll live!"
"And now what?"
"We fight! Killing is a hell of a lot easier than healing."
"No, it never got easy," he sighed.
"Are you alright?" Mary asked.
Jonathan nodded. "Just remembering a day during the war." He could feel his strength fading. "We should get some rest." He turned to the bed. "You take the bed and I'll sleep on the floor."
"Nonsense," Mary argued, "there's room enough for two. It will be like when we were children. Too tired to argue, he nodded and climbed onto the bed and shifted over as far as he could. Mary joined him and was forced to lay partially on him. She cried out in shock, "you're so cold!"
Jonathan shook his head and sat up. "This makes no sense. None of it. No sense at all." He looked at his sister and then at the gun in his hand. "It's a nightmare! That's it. Mary eyed him cautiously but relaxed her guard when he laid down again. "So be it." He gripped the gun harder and his sister grabbed his wrist.
"Jonathan! No!" She shouted and pulled at his arm. She may as well be pulling at iron for all the effect she had. Her brother was lost in his head and nothing she said or did got through to him any more.
He cocked the gun and pointed it at his chest. "Rational thinking only."
"Johnny!" She screamed when he pulled the trigger. Mary cried over her brother's body until the sun was high in the sky. She didn't care than she was covered in his blood. When she finally ran out of tears, she laid her head in his chest and stared off at nothing.
She did this until a sound from the body caught her attention. Could it be? She wondered and pressed her ear harder to his chest. There it was! She heard his heart beat! He must have missed his heart!
Mary tore open his shirt, ready to apply pressure to the wound like he had taught her when she saw there was bullet hole, only the blood that had come from it. "What?" She asked out loud. She shook her brother but he didn't wake. "Maybe he's right and this is a nightmare." She crawled under the bloodstained blanket. "Things will look better when we wake." She fell asleep
Jonathan woke up the next night with a gasp, startling his sleeping sister. He sat up and got his breathing under control. The good doctor looked around and patted his chest where the wound should be. Mary was fully awake now and slapped him across the face as hard as she could. She was sure she hurt her hand more than his face judging by how little he reacted. "Mary!?" He questioned. It he hadn't have looked so lost, she would have struck him again.
"Never do that again!" She scolded, "I thought you were dead!"
He examined the blood-stained mattress. "This is absolute madness!"
"Madness it is! As mad as the moon! Who tames blinding sunlight into a glowing reflection."
Jonathan looked around for the source of the voice, getting off the bed in the process. "What is it?" His sister asked.
"You didn't hear anything just now?" He asked. Mary shook her head.
"I didn't hear anything. Johnny, you're scaring me," she admitted.
He headed towards the stairs, That voice in my head. If I'm not mad, then it must belong to the one who made me what I am." He turned to his sister. "I must find him to understand what I have become."
Mary nodded. "Alright, I'm with you." They made their way down the stairs and could hear the men from before banging on the door. The unit didn't look like it would hold out much longer. They ran to the only other door that they hadn't explored yet.
"These people want me dead…we need to leave now!" He walked through the doorway and looked up at the broken stairs.
The unit gave way and the red door flew open. "There's the leech! Here!" The man shouted.
"Jonathan!" Mary gasped and ran to close the distance to her brother.
Jonathan stared up at the landing above them. Something in him told him he could have the jump. He wrapped his arms around his sister. "Hold on to me!" When she had secured her grip on him, he leapt. Both of them disappearing in a puff of smoke. His sister staggered from the sudden change but Jonathan pulled her through the next door. He shut and locked it behind them.
Mary grabbed her head. "My head is spinning…"
"Oi! Come out, you coward!" The man shouted from below.
Jonathan grabbed his sister's hand and they both fled down the stairs. He picked up a wooden stake and the shelter key off a body along the way. He opened the door and took in his surroundings. "We're still in Southwark. We must reach the west end. Go back home…"
Another man approached. "Over there! It's one of them vermin!"
He drew the machete. "Mary, stay back!" His sister hid behind a nearby barrel. She watched in horror as her brother stunned the man with the stake and then bit into his neck, drinking as quickly and deeply as he could.
The man threw him off a second later and staggered back but Jonathan was already swinging the blade. The man didn't stand a chance.
Both stared in surprise at the body and how deeply he was able to cleave the man with the machete. "There's strength, a strength I never knew I had." He saw more men down below. "Wait here, I'll clear the way."
"Be careful," she warned and hid behind the barrel again just to avoid look at the body."
The good doctor jumped down from behind one of the hunters. Claws sprouted from his fingers and he tore the man to ribbons before he could turn and attack. The other hunter approached swinging his torch. A quick strike of the machete stopped him. He leapt back up and collected his sister. Mary didn't dare look at the bodies.
"Every sinew, every fibre of my being is afire," he explained at they ran. Another hunter with a gun came at them and fired. Jonathan was quick to shove Mary behind him and took the bullets. He drank from the man and Mary watched in morbid fascination at his bullet wounds healed. He wiped his mouth and they were running again. "I feel like a child learning the limits of my body…"
Another hunter with a shotgun attacked. He didn't even give the man time to fire before he was on him. The body dropped and he turned to Mary. "My strength! My reflexes! I'm not human anymore."
Despite her growing fear of him, her heart broke at the fear in her brother's eyes. "We can figure out what you are when we're safe." She looked down at the bloodless corpse. "Do you have to drink their blood? It's frightening to watch. It's so…monstrous."
"I'm sorry, Mary. Something in me cries out for their blood. I will do my best to ignore it." The very idea of his sister afraid of him killed him inside. He could still see her terrified face. "You know I would never harm you, right?" Mary shakily nodded but neither sibling believed her.
They entered Southwark bridge and slowed down to let Mary catch her breath. They continued to climb up the stairs to the bridge. He was still thinking about Mary's fear when they got to the top. My poor sister. If only I had controlled my need for blood…Mary, someone will pay for what happened to us!
The two stopped when Jonathan noticed rats scurrying about their feet. "I wonder…" he mused and snatched one. He bit into it and drank what little blood there was. A part of him wanted to spit it back out but he swallowed. The hunger in him quieted a little.
"Well?" Mary prompted.
"I can't believe I did that," he grimaced, "but it works. It doesn't have to be human blood!" Both siblings could feel a weight being lifted off their chests. "Mary, I promise, no other human will die to feed this terrible thirst."
They kept going until they came to a break in the catwalk. Mary held onto her brother and he leapt across. "The dizziness from the jump. I can now control it."
Mary rubbed her temples. "Pity I can't."
"I'm sorry, I'll try to limit the jumps." They walked across the bridge in silence until Jonathan spoke up. "What will London have to say to me?"
"I don't know, brother, but we'll face it together," she consoled.
"I have so many questions unanswered…"
"We'll find the answers, Jonathan."
They left the bridge and saw the body on a pallet by the dock. "Another corpse? Have the very streets of London become a mausoleum?"
"The flu has taken many."
Jonathan examined the body. "This man has been drained of all blood, but I can still smell the scent of it. It we follow the scent's trail perhaps it will lead us to my assailant."
The siblings followed the trail to a bar called the Turquoise Turtle. "At last, a little life," Mary sighed. She walked up to the bar while her brother approached the drunk man.
"What can I do for you, miss?" The bartender asked, pointedly ignoring Jonathan's torn, bloody shirt and her bloody stained hands and face.
"My brother and I have had a long night, could we get some water?" Mary requested.
The bartender nodded and poured two glasses for them. Mary pulled her brother away from the drunk and they sat down near the barmaid eyeing them warily. She drank her glass gratefully and watched her brother simply stare at his. "Try, Johnny," she pleaded.
Jonathan grimaced and brought the glass to his mouth. The moment the rim touched his lips, he nearly retched. He quickly set the glass down and shook his head sadly. "I'm sorry."
Mary drank his as well. "It's alright. We'll think of something. Did you find anything from that man?"
The doctor shook his head. His only interest is that bottle. Maybe one of the other locals saw someone." He flagged over the barmaid.
She cautiously approached the table. "Hello, sir. Are you alright? Is there anyway I can help you?"
"What is this place?" He asked.
"This is Tom's bar, the Turquoise Turtle. I'm the barmaid here, Sabrina. If you want to know."
"Thank you." He stood up and approached Tom.
"My God, sir, you look like Jonah's whale just spat you out of hell! Can I get you a drink?" Tom asked.
"No, thank you. I'm not. Not thirsty," Jonathan declined.
"Grab a chair and get some rest. This is going to be another long night."
"I'm looking for someone who might have passed through recently. Wondered if you might help."
"It's been quiet tonight. The only other person I've seen we straight up to his room. Thought it was kind of rude actually."
"You mean he's still here?!"
"Well, yes. He paid for the entire week."
"I need to meet this man. I have questions."
"Just climb up the stairs and knock on the first door. I heard him open his window so I guess he's still awake…and sir?"
"Yes?"
"No funny business, you hear me? This is a respectable establishment," Tom warned.
Jonathan returned to Mary and both made their way up the stairs. He paused outside the door and help a hand up to Mary so she knew to be quiet.
"This is no place for you…Priwen has several patrols roaming the area," a male voice warned.
"They do not pursue me," a female one answered.
"They are looking for vampires and they are most efficient!"
"They'll not relent until the killer has been identified."
"I have a common objective, but I require more time."
"Shh! I think someone is eavesdropping."
"Are you certain?" Jonathan heard the familiar sound of someone leaping. "You might as well come in, whoever you are!"
The doctor nodded at his sister who stayed behind him as he opened the door. "Be careful, Jonathan!" She whispered.
"Slowly, vampire! Who are you?"
A blinding light pushed him back. It burned his eyes to look at it. He raised a hand to try and shield his eyes. Mary rushed out from behind her brother when she saw his distress and tried to figure out what had stopped him. "What's wrong?!" She asked.
With great effort, he pushed her behind him again to try and protect her from any possible threat. "I, I mean you no harm."
"Sayeth the vampire. Present yourself." The man commanded.
"My brother is no vampire!" Mary defended and stood beside her brother as he struggled.
"I, I need a word. With anyone."
The man sat down at his desk and lowered the burning light to reveal a cross. Once it was completely out of his hand, the pressure keeping him away stopped. Jonathan couldn't help but slump over in relief. "Well, that's something I can do for you." He gestured to the chairs across from him. Mary helped him sit down before seating herself. "And who might you be?"
Mary was about to answer but Jonathan shook his head. "Tell me, who are you?"
"First tell me what you want. Then I may tell you."
"That's none of your concern," he hissed.
"Brother!" Mary chided. "Something, someone -is molesting people. In fact, killing them. Biting them," she explained.
"The calling card of a vampire, like your brother…" He replied.
"Vampires aren't real," Mary protested.
"Yet your brother is one," he countered.
"If you are not a …vampire, then who or what are you?" Jonathan asked, he would deal with becoming some mythical creature later.
"I am Dr Edgar Swansea of the Brotherhood if Saint Paul. I am performing an independent investigation here in an attempt to understand precisely what it going on," Edgar explained.
"They help us find the culprit!"
"I may if you'll first tell me why you opened this door?"
"We followed a trail…my brother could smell the blood from a recent victim. It led us here," Mary explained before her cagey brother could say anything.
Swansea nodded. "You thought I was your aggressor. That explains a great deal. We're all chasing the same shadow."
Jonathan finally lowered his guard. "A shadow. Indeed. Yet I head this voice in my head. There was a moment I believed I was mad."
"You should let me handle this affair. You've no idea what you're up against."
Something dark and possessive overcame Jonathan. "No! I will find the monster! He's mine!"
"How will you do any better than I? But then let me ask you this: what are your intentions if you find the killer?"
"I will have answers."
"Hmm. Then I can only wish you good hunting and pray you will not involve your sister in this. It's too dangerous!"
"No! I will not abandon my brother!" Mary protested.
"My dear, vampires are no easy prey. Your brother has his work cut out for him. Please, see reason. Let him go alone and I will tell you all I know about your brother's condition," Swansea pleaded. Mary reluctantly agreed.
"Be safe, brother." Mary hugged him tightly and he left.
"Now, where shall I begin?" Swansea asked.
I'm going to mark this story as complete for now. I may come back to it if I think of a way to shoehorn Mary into the story.