Wings of Blood and Cruelty
A Hemlock Grove fanfic by Glamoured By-Eric
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.-Friedrich Nietzsche
Chapter 9 - Funerary Practices
"Hold still, Peter," commanded Destiny as she tried for the third time to button the top button of his new dress shirt so that she could cinch up the tie.
"I can't. I can't breathe. I wasn't meant to wear a suit and tie," protested Peter.
"Suck it up, Rumancek. You can do this." Destiny tried again to button it.
"It is too damned tight. I can't breath." He moved back and placed him arm in front of himself to ward her off.
"Peter, you are the one who wanted to come back here. We got the clothes you needed. You..." started Lynda.
"I know. I know. But you don't have to wear this torture device. My kind wasn't made to wear suits. We shed our own once a month."
Destiny finally gave up.
"Take off the shirt, Peter," asked Lynda. "I'll move the button closer to the edge to give you a little more neck room if Destiny has some thread I can use. Once the tie is resting there, no one will notice that the buttons are not perfectly aligned."
Peter had it off in record time and gave it to his mother. "You are welcome to it."
Destiny glared at him and then went into the bedroom to retrieve a needle and white thread for Lynda. She came back out shortly and handed the items to Lynda and then went into the kitchenette to fix dinner.
Lynda watched her brooding son for a minute as he paced back and forth liked a caged animal. Destiny also noticed and asked, "What bug has crawled up your ass, Peter?"
Peter stopped mid stride and looked at his cousin in surprise at her tone. "Well, let's see... someone tried to kill Roman today with a sniper rifle."
"Oh... is he okay?" asked a concerned Lynda.
"Yeah, he healed fairly quickly. He admitted that he knows that he is an upir now. If there was any doubt, it was removed when the sniper's bullet went through his chest. He died and came back to life a couple of minutes later, and his wound was healed. Before you say anything, Mom, let me tell you the rest."
Lynda pursed her lips, sighed, and was resigned to hold her peace for the moment. Destiny was stirring the contents of her frying pan but was listening intently.
Peter ran his hand down his bare torso and sat down heavily in the chair next to the couch.
"We are fairly sure that the vargulf has undergone a metamorphosis. They embalmed her, buried her, and her head was still intact. So, we've got a problem. She's come back. I don't need to tell you the implications of that. Roman is going to investigate while I keep a low profile."
"This is disturbing. It appears your gut feeling was right about Roman needing you. My concern is that if someone is trying to kill him then you would be in his crosshair. I don't want to see you hurt. I don't believe that I am alone in being concerned."
Destiny interjected, "I agree, Peter. Having Roman for a friend is dangerous. You need to be careful. Personally, I think you should just leave town again and not come back."
"That's not an option that I am open to right now," answered Peter. "I've started this and have to finish it. Christina became a werewolf because of me. I have to see this through."
Earlier that day, after he had made his calls, Roman left the house and drove to the cemetery to see if he could do some amateur sleuthing on his own to keep Peter away from law enforcement officials. He didn't trust the cops not to continue giving Peter shit even though they thought they had caught the killer in his sister Shelley.
The new bodyguard Roman had just hired would not be available until the viewing at the funeral home that evening so he looked carefully in all directions after he got out of his red car. He had made sure that no one had followed him on the way over.
There were no police cars in the vicinity as Roman lifted up the crime scene tape draped around a couple of trees and walked toward Christina's grave. It wasn't hard to find. He just had to look for the grave that looked like someone had exploded out of it.
Roman crouched down to get a better look, took a handful of the loose soil, and felt a shiver run down his spine. Looking around, he couldn't find the source of his unease. As he looked, he did happen to see something the cops had missed. He stood up and walked toward a bush, bent down to remove the tuft of fur that he saw swaying slightly in the breeze, examined it, and then pocketed it before going back to his car.
"We are so sorry for your loss," said the wife of a young couple to Norman. "She passed way too young. Our thoughts are with your family."
Norman was trying his best to appear unaffected in his grief from losing Letha as Marie stood next to him, trying not to appear annoyed and failing dreadfully. He knew from his years with her that she was fuming inside if the tightness of her lips hadn't already given it away. She was still justifiedly angry that he had told her he was in love with Olivia and had moved out of their home and into the Godfrey mansion to be with her.
As the couple passed by, Norman leaned toward Marie and said out of the side of his mouth, "Can you at least try and put on a united front to the public?"
Marie looked daggers at Norman and slapped him across the face, saying, "Is that united enough for you, you bastard?" She then turned and walked to the other side of the room to the astonishment of the onlookers.
Roman and his bodyguard entourage entered the room just in time to witness the altercation between Norman and Marie. Roman's eyes got bigger as they met Norman's.
Shaking his head, Roman walked over to Letha's casket and looked down at her. They had dressed her in a medium blue dress, and she looked at peace. Roman gripped the side of the casket in both of his hands, and he turned away quickly before his emotions took over only to face his two bodyguards.
Roman had lovingly nicknamed his new bodyguards the Hulk and Frozone. The hulky bodyguard's last name was actually Hauck, but he was a body builder and resembled his nickname minus the green hue. The African American bodyguard's last name was Smith. Since he was tall and athletic yet somewhat lanky, Roman thought he looked like Frozone from The Incredibles. He also thought the agency was only sending one bodyguard but two had shown up at his house to escort him tonight.
Roman spouted, "Look guys. Could you back off a little? You don't have to be attached to my back pockets to watch over me. Give me a little fucking space."
Smith replied, holding up his hands in defense, "Sorry man. Just doing our job."
"Well, please do it from across the room. Why not over by the door?" said Roman as he noticed that Peter, Lynda and Destiny had come into the room. He walked toward them.
"Thanks for coming, Peter. Ms. Rumancek. Destiny. The guest book is over there if you would like to sign it."
"Go ahead, Peter," said Lynda. "We'll sign in for you."
Peter nodded and then looked toward the casket across the room. He tried to move his feet further into the room but found that they were glued to the floor. He gulped and looked up at Roman.
"Nice threads, man. You clean up well. Hugo Boss looks good on you," noticed Roman.
"It feels weird. I just want to tear off the tie and the button at my throat," replied Peter. "I wanted to look good though. You know. For Letha."
"She would approve, man. She would. Let's go over."
Peter swallowed noticeably and finally found that his feet would move again. He crossed the room to the casket and swallowed again as he looked down at her. The blue dress was becoming, but contrasted with her pale skin and blond hair, giving her an angelic look. He reached down and stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers and felt her cool skin beneath them. Closing his eyes, he felt the pain build up inside him, and the tears welled up behind his eyes.
Roman saw the first tear flow down Peter's cheek, and he placed his hand on Peter's shoulder. Peter opened his eyes and looked up at Roman. Breaking down, Peter started to lose it, and Roman embraced him tightly as they both cried together.
"I don't know what I'll do without her, Roman," Peter admitted. "I loved her man."
"I know. We both did."
They broke apart after a time as the embrace became uncomfortable, looking a little embarrassed at the break in their normal he-manly demeanors, and wiped away their tears between sniffles. Peter looked down again at Letha, leaned over her and kissed her lightly on the lips.
"I will always love you, Letha," declared Peter as he pulled away.
Roman was distracted as he saw two women enter the room. One stunningly beautiful woman dressed all in black and the other all in white except for the black veil from her hat which covered her face.
"Fuck me!" Roman said slowly as his heart stopped for a couple of beats and he fought for breath, but only Peter had heard him make the exclamation. Peter swung around and saw the two women, recognizing one of them even through the black veil.
"Roman, I thought you said..." started Peter.
"I know what I said. I don't know how..." he trailed off, looking stricken.
Olivia and Tatiana had stopped the chatter in the room with their appearance. The bodyguards questioned them before letting them into the room. As Olivia spotted Roman, she smiled and walked across the room with her sister in tow. She stopped in front of Roman and Peter.
"Mother, this is a surprise. Aren't you going to greet me? Oh, that's right. The cat's got your tongue," Roman smarted off after he recovered his composure at her appearance.
Olivia lifted her veil and smiled at Roman. "My tongue is just fine."
Roman gulped and looked at Peter and then to the other woman to hid his discomfiture and asked, "Who is your friend?"
"This is your aunt, Tatiana. My older sister. She is visiting from Italy."
"Ciao," she greeted, holding out her hand to Roman. "You can call me Ana. Tatiana is such a mouthful."
"My aunt but... why haven't we met her before now?" Roman looked at his mother.
Ana answered, "Your mother and I had lost touch. It has been literally ages since we last saw each other. I certainly didn't know she had such a handsome young man for a son. You must resemble your father."
Olivia gave Ana a withering look as Peter jumped in. "Nice to see you, Mrs. Godfrey." He took the hand that Roman's aunt had extended and that Roman had ignored and kissed it. "Nice to meet you, Ana. I'm Roman's friend, Peter."
"Delighted to meet you, Peter. Such a charmer." She sidled up to Peter and ran a well-manicured polished finger down his cheek.
As he looked down at her, his gaze settled on Ana's ample cleavage, and he quickly looked away and caught his mother's eyes across the room.
From behind, Norman had just walked over to greet them and said, "Olivia! What a surprise! Roman said you were away. I didn't expect to see you tonight."
Olivia turned slowly and smiled, "I am returned somewhat sooner than dear Roman expected me." She looked slyly at Roman who flushed.
"Who is your friend?" asked Norman looking at Ana.
"Apparently, this is my aunt. Ana," replied Roman. "Mother is full of surprises tonight."
"Ciao, Norman. Olivia has told me all about you. You are even more handsome than she iterated. I am sure we'll get along famously."
"I can't believe you've never mentioned you had a sister, Olivia," Norman said. "Where have you been hiding her?"
"Italy, darling," replied Ana. "Liv and I had lost touch. I only found her from a news article, and of course, I just had to look her up. It had been too long."
"Yes, too long," replied Olivia sarcastically as if she meant that it could have been longer. She eyed her sister as she pulled Norman away and engaged him in conversation. Then she turned back to Roman. "By the way, Roman, why is there security at the entrance? Were you expecting trouble?"
"You might say that, Mother. Someone tried to kill me. The security is for me."
"What!" Olivia exclaimed loudly before catching herself. "Someone tried to kill my beautiful boy?"
"They shot him actually," said Peter. "I was there."
"Where?" asked Olivia as she moved over to examine him, all thoughts of baiting him further over killing her forgotten.
"It's okay. Much like you, Mother dear. I am indestructible. Must run in your side of the family."
"Yes, well... we'll get to the bottom of this. I can't lose another child."
Dr. Pryce entered the room and walked over to the book to sign in. Norman spotted him and excused himself from Ana. When Pryce turned around, Norman stood up to him and asked, "Just what the hell do you think you are doing here, Pryce?"
Pryce looked down his nose at Norman and replied in his usual emotionless voice, "Why, just paying my respects to your daughter."
"Respects? After it was your incompetence that killed her in the first place? How dare you show your face here! I want you to leave. Now!"
Pryce looked over and was taken aback when he spotted Olivia, and he inwardly began to shake. He had thought he was rid of her forever, and here she was in the flesh. He was so screwed.
AN:
Song through the closing credits would be Electrik People: The Lost Get Loud.