Authors Note: All of your reviews and follows have been making my day be a great one. I truly enjoy writing this story, and it seems that ideas just keep coming and coming. Hope you like this chapter and keep commenting and reviewing.
To say that she was restless was something that fell completely short to what she had been feeling. Everything that she had seen was haunting her, challenging her beliefs and what until recently she was sure the world was. Did she regret her decision? Maybe, the fear of the unknown making her try to forget what her mind kept replaying: Holding Maura's hand, feeling the heat radiate from it and the life of a complete stranger go through her eyes in the matter of seconds. The feelings that the person had being felt and lived by her, in full synchronization to what she saw. The moment she felt herself come back to reality she panicked, too scared of what she felt, of what she shared with Maura, who seemed as taken aback as she did by the memory. She knew it as soon as she let go of her hand that there was something else going on, something deeper that they had shared on that memory: hope. The hope of an old woman who had been waiting to meet the love of her life and the happiness she felt when she imagined it happening. It had surprised them, and Maura explained to her that memories didn't tend to be that filled with emotion, which meant that the woman truly loved the man. She smiled at the memory, at the face of Maura after realizing that Jane had seen and felt the same, the connection inevitable and irrefutable. She closed her eyes and started to remember what happened after she touched Maura's hand for the first time.
Jane was watching Maura move around the table, concentrating on moving body parts and making incisions carefully around the body. This made her feel relaxed, the atmosphere calm and serene. She had never felt such at ease in the morgue, the autopsies that she had with Dr. Pike being filled by his hideous remarks. Jane felt a hand on top of hers and saw that Maura was looking at her expectantly.
"Did you hear what I just told you Jane?" Maura asked her sweetly.
"I'm sorry Maura, it's just, I don't know if it's even right to say that I feel this, so peaceful here that I just got lost in my own thoughts."
Maura smiled. "The dead are patient and they don't judge. They don't feel pain and understand. So yes, I do understand how easy it is to lose oneself when you are surrounded by nothing else than quietness."
"When you talk like that you sound so much older, wiser, almost as if you have already lived way more things that you still shouldn't have lived." Jane said quietly while looking at Maura's profile, being enchanted by it.
Maura looked back at Jane, understanding in her gaze and concern. "Yes, you could say that the things I have seen have made me grow and value life way more than normally. I don't take a single day for counted, but still try to indulge in routines such as healthy eating, working, etc. It is difficult to balance that sense of insecurity about life, of how soon it can suddenly end, with the security of living the best way possible."
Jane just nodded, knowing that if she kept asking Maura's these questions she would feel more confused about the way she had been living her life. Maura focused again on the body.
"Jane, I found something." she said while pointing the microscope to a point of his throat.
"What is that?" Jane asked.
"It seems that it is a branding mark made by a chupacabra." Maura said quietly. "This is unexpected."
"A chupa what?" Jane asked while following Maura who had made her way to the computer. Moments later she saw the picture of a strange creature with big teeth and crazy eyes with a goat in its mouth.
"A chupacabra is a creature that feeds itself on the blood of goats, or at least that is how they started, as animal eaters. Centuries later, with civilization moving further inside the forests and taking the goats that were usually eaten by the chupacabras, they found a substitute in human blood. Chupacabra meets "goat sucker", many being seen around the world."
"Come on Maura, I heard the story of a man in Nicaragua who claimed to have shot a Chupacabra. When they took the animal to a lab to analyze it they found out that it was a dog. Even when science declined the existence of the animal, the man still said that he shot and killed a Chupacabra."
"And he did shoot a Chupacabra Jane, but, deemed sensitive information, the autopsies were moved and the results of a dog were given to the media. The reason why the information of the Chupacabra was not released was because this creature is more accurate with what a werewolf would look like."
"So then the werewolves from movies were based not on werewolves, but on Chupacabras?" Jane asked, her mind already too confused by all the information that it was absorbing.
"Yes, although that saliva that I obtained from the crime scene does fit with the profile of a Nightcrawler." Maura said to herself, thinking about the implications of this new set of evidence.
Jane suddenly realized what Maura had meant. "So then Dracula and the werewolf are allies?" Jane said sarcastically. "There goes the whole plot of Van Helsing to the trash."
Maura looked up to her with surprise on her face. "You know about Van Helsing?"
Jane just nodded, too taken aback by the seriousness of the conversation. "Everyone knows Van Helsing Maura. Probably most people saw it because of Hugh Grant." Jane said absently.
Maura instead of answering started to move around the lab, looking for something. When she found a bottom she pressed it and suddenly there was a hole on the wall.
"Shiiit." Jane said while looking at the room filled with weapons and books. "Who are you people?"
Maura still didn't answer her, too concentrated on the task of finding that book. When she did she smiled and took it to the front of the room, making space on the table where all her tools were.
"This book was passed generation through generation until today." she said reverently. "It belonged to a man named Van Helsing. When I read it I found it amusing, but after hearing you say his name, I remembered that he talked about a nightcrawler who could be able to control any kinds of creatures and even some humans."
"Yeah, that creature was a vampire named Dracula." Jane said sarcastically. "Maura, every person that owns a DVD can tell you this. I still don't understand why Van Helsing, if it is really Van Helsing and not a fake, would write a whole book instead of trying to kill the creature."
Maura ignored Jane, reading silently the book. Jane started to move from one side to the other, hating to be ignored. "I hate being ignored." she said while looking at Maura.
Maura looked up and smiled apologetically, making Jane forget her angriness. This is getting way out of hand, Jane thought to herself. "Forgive me Jane, it's just that I'm so used to working alone that I tend to forget that now I have a partner." she smiled shyly, as if wanting Jane to confirm that they were partners.
Jane nodded. "Well, you are not alone anymore, and if you have heard, not many people like me as their partner because they find me very impatient."
"From what I have noticed they seem to be right." Maura said while smiling to herself.
"And that is just so rude to say." Jane said while laughing. "Tell me that at least you found something interesting on that big book."
"I actually think I did." Maura said while going to stand next to Jane and pointing with her finger the paragraph that she wanted Jane to read.
'After many years of traveling around the world, hoping to bring justice to the ones that perished under the wrath of the nightcrawler, I finally found the town where he settled. They claim that he now lives as a human, hiding and waiting for preys to come. I'm afraid that my time is getting done, the years taking their toll on me and the remains of an old man too strong to prevent the creature from killing again. Nevertheless, what I did manage to discover was that the creature now goes by a name, a sense of identity that has made it become more dangerous, because a nameless creature can be controlled, but a name gives liberty, freedom and strength. Beware reader, the night is long and the path is dangerous, but leave everything and prepare, for when Mephisto makes its appearance it will be for the destruction of humanity.'
Jane just finished reading the paragraph and looked at Maura with complete awe.
"I know, I know, it is very sensationalistic that he will destroy humanity, but I truly believe that our creature's first name was Mephisto." Maura said while getting her gloves again. "And it does fit with the fact that he was a werewolf under his control."
"Why does that word, Mephisto, sound so familiar to me?" Jane asked quietly.
Maura still heard her question. "Well it depends Jane. The name has been used for many centuries. Mephisto is the German word for Mephistopheles, which is another name of the devil. Although, in German folklore, Mephisto is not the ruler of the underworld, but temptation itself. Also, I believe there was a comic made by Marvel based on this character. As you can see, the uses of the name are very global."
"So then no help at all." Jane said while sitting down, frustrated by the lack of evidence that they had.
"Don't see it as a lack of evidence, see it as a puzzle that keeps being filled and filled." Maura said while looking at the body on the table. "I have done everything I can with science." she murmured. "I guess it's time now to see what Mr. Whitmore will tell us."
Jane immediately got up and went to where Maura was, getting one glove off and staring in deep concentration. Without knowing what she was doing she took the glove out of the other hand and grabbed her hand, waiting to be pulled again into a black hole.
This time everything was faster and louder, images appearing and disappearing. She didn't like how this felt, how lost she was. Closing her eyes and trying to tell her brain to let go of Maura's hand, she opened her eyes and saw that she was sitting on a couch in the middle of the living room. She felt terrified, tired and scared. She had never been so scared, never felt so little and controlled. When she moved she felt something fall from her legs to the floor, and this noise made the man turn and look at her with hunger in his eyes. Holding back a scream, she saw how he stood up from the chair and start to close his pants. She wanted to throw up, disgusted by what she felt. The anger was quickly switched by fear when she saw the man look deeply into her eyes, the red irises contracting with desire.
'Yes, you will be useful.' he said to Jane. 'I know you will be watching this Dr. Isles, and I do hope you are, because I guarantee you that there will be a grand finale. The reason I'm doing this is to let you all know that I am aware of who you are, I know what you fear and what you feel. Do not cross me, because many have done so, many have perished, me the sole victor of all of these battles.'
He finished and then took out his hand and touched her neck, carefully pointing the tip to his neck and cutting. Jane felt the surge of blood splash around the walls, weakness invading her and making her eyes close. But that was not the worse, no. The worse was that she couldn't breathe, she was drowning in her own blood while the man just looked at her with evilness. Jane just kept on looking, waiting until the light became complete darkness.
Jane opened her eyes again, taking a deep and long breath as soon as she did this. She looked around herself, not sure of where she was and peace invading her when she realized that she was still in the morgue. Maura looked up and saw that her hand was entwined with Jane's, understanding going to her when she realized that Jane saw everything. She took her hand off Jane's and quickly made her way to the bathroom where she washed her face, tears starting to appear. She was completely scared, completely open and vulnerable to her fears. Jane was right outside, feeling the fear that Maura felt, each time their hands touched and they shared memories making them be more connected with each other. She knew that Jane was not going to leave until she saw her one last time, and Maura quickly calming herself went outside. She saw Jane getting her stuff and look at her when she heard her footsteps. She smiled at her.
"What is your policy about colleagues hanging together after work Dr. Isles?" she mocked Maura.
Maura smiled despite herself, despite what she just saw. "If there is wine then I don't complain."
Jane nodded. "I guess we are in luck then because there is a bar a few blocks away from here that offer great bar and not terrible wine." Jane said while smiling. "Want to come?"
Maura looked at the morgue, at the emptiness and darkness of the room and then turned her gaze towards Jane and the hand stretched at her, inviting her to join the light and warmth. Maura smiled and grabbed it.
Jane woke up to the sound of her phone in the middle of the night, realizing that the first thing on her mind was Maura and her sweet smile. She smiled despite herself and despite the urgency of the call, because for some strange reason thinking about Maura brought her peace and serenity, which was something weird to feel after only knowing a person for one day. She got up quickly and answered it, confirming that it was Korsak as soon as she heard his voice.
'Please don't tell me that we have another crime scene?' Jane asked quietly. When Korsak stayed quiet he confirmed her suspicions.
'You need to get to Kenmore Park as soon as possible. Frost and Dr. Isles are also on their way. I'm afraid we found Mrs. Whitmore.'
When Maura finally made it to Kenmore Park she felt the cold air chill her bones. She was emotionally tired from using two times in one day her abilities. The first time she did it because she wanted so badly for Jane to understand how she saw things, how beautiful her gift could be and how it could help. The second time it was a gruesome trip, one that Jane also saw without her knowledge. After going to get some drinks, Maura felt more at ease with the detective, who kept talking to her about baseball, her dog Joe Friday and her family. She was surprised by the intensity of her mother, her love for Jane and interest and being part of her life. When she thought about her relationship with her own mother she realized that theirs was cold as ice, filled with etiquette and false modesty. She didn't like it, and was a little jealous of Jane, but was it really only jealousy? She felt herself being attracted to the woman, curious to know more about her, to understand her and be more than just a colleague, which were things that she had never felt before for anyone. Talking about the devil, she smiled when she saw Jane making her way towards her with a coffee in her hand. She immediately took it and drank from it.
"There goes our good nap time." Jane said sarcastically. "How are you feeling?" she whispered to Maura.
Maura looked up and smiled warmly. "Thanks to you much better."
Jane smiled and dragged Maura to where Korsak told her the body was. Both women crouched to see more clearly. "It does look like Mrs. Whitmore." Maura started to say. "Cause of death appears to be blow to the head from a heavy object." she continued while touching her skull and feeling raptures. "Several blows."
Jane nodded. "What about the teeth?"
Maura moved to where Jane was telling her and opened the mouth, where the teeth were starting to putrefy. "Putrefaction of organs has been confirmed as a process of conversion."
"So she was going to become an apprentice." Jane said. "And one of the two partners didn't want that to happen." Jane continued. "Do you think you would be able to see if a nightcrawler or a vampire was the one that converted her?"
"As soon as I take her to the lab I should be able to start the exams." Maura confirmed. "Another thing that stood out is the temperature. It tells me that she was killed merely a few hours ago."
"So they kept her alive almost until now?" Jane asked. "This case stops making sense with each piece of evidence that we uncover."
Maura nodded. "That's how it usually is with this kind of cases Jane. Creatures start to act based on their instinct, on their traditions or necessities. Although I hate to say it, it usually takes quite a few murders in order to trace a pattern that allows us to catch the creature."
Jane just nodded, feeling too useless. "What we do know is that they target young wealthy couples, man and woman, and are in a hard alliance." Jane said. "One dominant and one passive."
"Until he becomes a werewolf, where the two dominant personalities crash." Maura said.
"Yes, which is what we need to start asking on the streets." Jane said while nodding for Frost to approach them. "Frost, I need you to go around the low class neightborhoods and start to ask the people about the chupacabra and werewolf.
Frost nodded and left the two women alone.
"If someone is aware of the presence of these creatures it's the low class, the one that has to live with them during most of their lives." Jane said. "Which makes me suspect that the accomplice of our killer, the reason why he got infatuated with Mrs. Whitmore, was because he came from this low class background."