A/N:: Ah summer vacation is finally here. I can finally relax and do things at my leisure including updating my chapters. I could've started on this sooner but my computer got a virus so it still needs to have everything reinstalled, but I'm at my grandma's now and her computer works just fine so we're finally back in business! Still I'm terrible with updates and deadlines so although I say hopefully I'll update more we'll just have to see, like I always say I'll try but I can't promise, I won't abandon the stories anyway. That's enough of my rambling, enjoy the latest installment!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Cain Saga, Count Cain Godchild, or a single character in each or any other idea that is not my own. These are all the original creations and properties of Kaori Yuki. New ideas present however are mine such as plots, characters, etc.
Chapter Three:: Lucy Locket (Part 2)
There was a shrill elated cackling as the knife wielder let their glee at their crime escape. Steady crimson streams dripped off of the edge of the blade, splattering on the wood floor and spreading out.
"What?" a distinctly feminine voice called in surprise as a pair of slender arms wrapped around her in holding and embrace.
"Now, now, why would you want to leave before you made sure you'd finished the job?" Cain smirked, staring into a pair of light brown eyes. The woman let out a hiss, attempting to slash at his arm when she felt another hand grasp her. Riff had her arm grasped firmly in his own large one. His arm was slightly bleeding from a light stab wound that had stained his bed clothes.
"Look, you've damaged my property. I thought you said it would be better if you slept in the bed since you'd move in time," Cain sighed.
"Yes, well this young lady was a bit faster than expected her to be and I guess I couldn't get out of the way in time," Riff replied coolly.
"Well enough banter, let's just see who our young aggressor is," Cain moved to remove the mask concealing her face when she jerked free with a guttural snarl. She spun around, shrieking, before lunging at Cain with her knife.
"Master, look out," Riff shouted, moving in front of him in time to get stabbed in his lower shoulder. With one hand grasping at the wound, blood seeping in between the cracks of his fingers, Riff grabbed the arm of the woman causing her sleeve to roll up just enough to reveal a rough butterfly shaped scar engraved into her milky wrist. The woman jerked her wrist back huffing from the effort of keeping the two at bay, and took off out of the room, cursing under her breath repeatedly as she ran out. Once she was out of the room, Riff fell to one knee, still clasping at his shoulder which coupled with the light wound on his other arm had made a sizable pool of blood on the floor.
"Riff how many times must I tell you not to recklessly fling yourself around like that, you realize you're no good to me if you're dead. A dead man cannot help me dress," Cain sighed.
"I'll try to be more careful next time milord," Riff replied, getting back up with much grimacing.
"Well at least take that off so I can clean you up," Cain sighed, digging in the bags and pulling out a small black bag.
"Really Master Cain, that isn't necessary, I can dress my wounds myself," Riff objected.
"I didn't ask you if you could do it yourself, I told you I'd do it," Cain casually retorted. He walked over, gently stroking Riff's exposed white chest, he pulled out a white piece of cloth, pulling out a bottle, and wet the cloth with antiseptic before cleaning off the blood from his shoulder, the thin layer of coagulated blood which had momentarily stopped the bleeding was removed from over the wound, causing Riff to wince and the bleeding to start afresh. Cain unwrapped some fresh white bandage, tightly wrapping it around his shoulder. He secured the bandage and patted Riff's shoulder. "There you go sir, now you won't have the glory of running around ragged and talking of your brave exploits."
"I suppose I won't," Riff smiled.
"And let's hope that that will be the last interruption of the night," Cain replied, laying down into the bed.
"If not I'm sure that our culprit won't be able to put up any sort of a fight," Riff replied.
"I do suppose you're right," Cain replied, staring out into the moon drenched mysteries of London.
"Cain! Riff! I would have never expected to see you two high strung individuals in such a rundown neighborhood as this one!" Oscar shouted, running over to greet the two.
Cain put a hand to his head, sighing, "I felt as though a headache was coming on and now I realize it was a premonition of annoyances to come."
Oscar clapped Cain on the back laughing, "still as thin as ever, I hope that Mary doesn't take after you in that way, I like a girl with a few endowments."
"And you suppose that I'll standby and allow you to take away my only sister while laughing at that attitude of yours?" Cain walked away, coolly brushing him off.
"C'mon big brother don't be so cold with me, it was a joke," Oscar laughed, running to catch up.
"Don't call me that, even if I have to spring up from my grave I'll ensure that you'll never be married to my sister," Cain answered to the jolly Oscar.
"So what brings you to this shady part of town? I didn't realize you went for the sort of women that hang out here," Oscar nudged Cain with his elbow.
"I suppose I could be asking you questions of a similar sort," Cain shot back.
"Oh no, I have drinking buddies who like to come around this part of town for the cheap drinks and women. I come for the drinks, but I couldn't bear the thought of using these cheap women when the lovely Mary eagerly awaits the day when she and I will become one," Oscar smiled.
"Please spare me your fantasies. As to my business here, well just investigating a matter of interest to stave off the boredom of the noble life," Cain replied.
"Ah that explains why Riff is tagging along, do you have some friends down here or where are you lodging at?"
"Actually my lodgings is the investigation in question, although hanging around during the day when the girls are sleeping is anything but interesting. We're staying at a place called 'The Crow's Eye,' are you familiar with it?" Cain asked.
"You certainly do possess a taste for the dangerous side of London my dear friend, my drinking buddies often talk about how there friends go to that place and they never hear from them again. It used to be they just didn't go there because the price was more than they could shell out, but it seems the price has been raised even higher," Oscar replied.
"Yes it was rather interesting, yesterday in the dead of night Riff and I were attacked by someone who ran off after quite the struggle. Riff currently possesses the battle wounds to prove the adventure," Cain told.
"And you're still staying their? You truly enjoy testing your luck, don't you Earl?"
"I suppose you could surmise it as such, poisons after all a gamble of life and death, hoping you can survive or retrieve the antidote in time, and poisons are my specialty. Perhaps my dear friends will visit me in the end," Cain smirked.
Oscar sighed, "well I do suppose that I'll have to check into this shady Crow's Eye as well. If Mary realized that I ran into her precious brother and did nothing to prevent his death she might not take too kindly to our engagement."
"I think that I'm going to go to my room a bit early, I'm not feeling so good," Oscar slurred, disentangling himself from Riff's shoulder and staggering up the stairs to his room.
"Of course you aren't feeling well you dolt, you had to go buy a drink from every pub we came across until you ran out of money," Cain shot back at him.
"If you must insult me, realize that I was asking around for any information about the matter going on around here. If I wanted to indulge myself in a drink here and there to loosen the tongues of the locals then that's fine too."
"Especially when you're too intoxicated to even speak coherently to those locals," Cain sighed, sitting in a chair before the fire and picking up a newspaper to whittle the time away until the two might get a chance of encountering their mystery stabber again.
"What seems to be troubling you Master Cain?" Riff asked, walking over near him with a cup of tea in hand which he handed to Cain who had his head cradled in his hand deep in thought.
"I was just trying hard to see if I could remember the color of Helene's eyes, but in all honesty I don't believe I paid close enough attention to what could be a crucial detail in this case," Cain replied, taking a sip of the tea before setting it down on a nearby end table.
"I don't quite remember either milord, especially with all the excitement of last night, I could go uncover it if you wish," Riff suggested.
"Not now Riff, I feel we'll see her soon enough even if it is tonight when we see her," Cain replied.
"No, I'm not in the mood right now," a yell came from somewhere above the two, sounding deep and slurred, familiar. Clearly Oscar was being visited by one of the girls of the house. "I don't care if you need me, your pay comes from me so of course you do."
"Sounds like the buffoon managed to acquire himself an admirer," Cain sniggered, picking the paper back up.
"Really, go now."
"Sorry t' botha you gents but I was jus' wondarin' if eitha of you knew which way was The Red Lion, theia's a back dooa cloint I'm s'pose t' meet theia, but don' tell the Madame now," Helene asked playfully as she walked into the room.
"No I'm sorry, we aren't from around this area so I'm afraid we haven't heard of such an establishment," Riff politely replied, taking a seat near Cain.
"Oh wot a shame, sorry t' botha you chaps," Helene sighed, walking away.
"Oh Helene, before you go I have a question to settle a bet. I was just curious as to the color of your eyes," Cain nonchalantly asked, still reading his newspaper.
"Why love 'ave a look fo' yerself," Helene came so close that Cain could feel the warmth of her body as she bent down, pressing her cleavage together in attempts to impress him, though the spectacle only disgusted him. "Theia clealy the mos' beautiful shade of green."
Cain set down his newspaper and ran up the stairs into Oscar's room, swinging the door wide open.
"Oh thank goodness you came," Oscar sighed in relief, laying on the bed in a growing pool of blood. Various stab wounds covered his body, although none were fatal, clearly the culprit was merely playing around with her victim for her own sick personal enjoyment.
"Done having your fine now Eva? Are you ready to end this and finish him?" Cain asked, an eyebrow half raised in amusement, although it was clear that he was ready to spring in any minute. She simply hissed, staring at him with pure venom in her eyes, turning back to Oscar and raising her knife.
"Women have no need for such brutal behavior as murder. Isn't it the job of the woman to keep the vicious men of the world in line?" Cain tightly held Eva's wrist in his hand, using his other to pin her hand down to the bed, his chin nearly resting on her shoulder, yet still held above it. Cain delicately traced a butterfly shaped scar on Eva's wrist identical to the one that had been seen on the bandit of the previous evening.
"It would appear that we do have our murdering intruder before us doesn't it?" Eva merely thrashed around, trying to break free, twisting her hand around to stab Cain, although she was unable to overcome him in such a position. Right as she managed to make a shallow slash across Cain's cheek she fell limp in his arms, unconscious.
"Sorry Master Cain it appears I am a touch late, but I had a bit of trouble finding my syringe," Riff replied, standing coolly with the syringe in hand, his thumb pressed over the plunger which was all the way down.
"What kind of a servant are you Riff when I cannot even rely on you to save my life? A bit longer and you would have to go searching for another position, or does the thought of finally being free from me appeal to you Riff?" Cain smirked.
"You forget milord that I only exist to serve you and there would not be an existence for myself if I was not quick enough to rescue you."
"Yes that's all well and good, but I'm rather curious as to why a high class individual such as Eva would suddenly snap and attempt to kill the very people who were in a sense helping her to get out of this life," Cain brushed him off, never being one for overt displays of feelings.
"Well, I suppose that one will be left up to Eva to explain," Riff sighed.
"Another boring wait to uncover the answer to a mystery within a mystery," Cain sighed, walking out of the room and to his own.
"Well if Master Cain has decided to depart and wait until this young woman wakes up then I suppose I could at least treat your wounds during the time being. I'm sure Master Cain would be terribly upset if you were to die because of blood loss, although he'd never admit it," Riff sighed, heading back to the room to retrieve his medical supplies, while Oscar lay grinning like a madman in between grimacing in pain.
"Master Cain, Eva woke up from the drugs a while ago and between the officers, the Madame, and Eva they managed to piece together the whole story of what happened to cause this incident," Riff explained walking into the room.
Cain sat up from his lounging position of the bed looking intently at Riff, "well then Riff please come and explain to me what's going on. It would certainly leave a bitter taste in my mouth if I knew I had come all the way to this godforsaken hellhole and found out nothing about my father and Delilah and the little bit of investigating I did manage to do while I was here was wasted as I never even discovered the motive for what was going on."
"Very well, the story is long and sad much as the girl's life has been ever since she was forced into this dirty business. It would appear that Eva's father had always been a very dominating and abusive man who tortured Eva, forcing her to believe that she was nothing more than his tool and that he controlled everything about her life. He instilled her with such an unbreakable love for him that he was even able to brand her by carving that butterfly into her wrist, completely removing the skin so that she would forever be damaged, his own prize, the curse of her beauty and existence.
"Believing herself to be his tool, Eva gladly gave herself when he needed money to pay off his debts and promised that she would work for the brothel even if it took her whole life just to ensure that he could be free from the financial chains. He used this to his advantage and she was enslaved into a life she never wanted, never able to break free from the terrible life that she could not bear. Suicide was her first escape, until she realized what that would mean for her father, so she continued on with this filthy business which she hated more than anything just to ensure his happiness.
"She learned of a drug however that would temporarily suppress everything except for the most primal instincts such as sexual drive, not realizing that that also suppress human morals, causing her to become a murderous animal that could not control herself. She never realized what she was doing and soon became confused when events she didn't understand started to occur. She blamed it on Helene, believing that she was nothing more than a cruel witch who wanted to ruin her and she soon sunk into a deeper depression, taking the drug more and more so that she could escape the world and in the end she became a monster, destroyed mentally and physically as the drugs ravaged her body. So now they're planning on taking her to a hospital to be treated until hopefully some day she'll be able to move on and start a life."
"That is a rather dark story, but still, I feel as though something isn't completely right in this, as though an end's been left loose, perhaps I'm just feeling uneasy for no reason, but something tells me if Delilah is involved surely things are quite a bit more complicated than they seem."
"Milord, are you sure that perhaps Lord Crehador didn't uncover some misleading information? His source is after all the women he takes as his concubines," Riff sighed, already feeling pulled into one of his Master's odd investigations.
"That would normally be the case Riff, however, the fact that such odd circumstances surrounded a place that we were pointed directly to? It seems almost a bit too much for misinformation," Cain sighed, getting up. "If you want to stay behind thinking I possess an overactive imagination then so be it." Cain left, heading down the hallway without another word. He felt something weigh him down and turned around to see Riff, holding a jacket over his shoulders.
"You might want to look the part or blow your cover before the investigation comes to a conclusion," Riff smiled. Cain pulled away, whipping around and pretending the slight fury and sadness at Riff's abandonment had never crossed his face.
"Yes, well come along, Delilah doesn't rest and neither shall we," Cain replied. Riff smiled slightly, following him down the hall.
"Oi…Oi jus' don' know wot 'appened!" Madame Bradshaw was sitting in an armchair before the fire, sobbing into her hands as one of the officers stood, looking nervous, as though not sure what exactly to do to comfort the grieving woman.
"What's going on here? Didn't there used to be two of you?" Cain asked, walking up to them.
"I'm afraid we cannot disclose det-."
"I's simply awful! Jus' awful! Moi deia Eva, Oi can' believe 'at someone could be s'cruel t' ya!" The woman continued to sob.
"Interesting," Cain said, turning heel to the dismay of the officer who looked about ready to pursue the two and keep them from learning any more, before the heavyset woman grabbed the officer, crying into his uniform as though hoping for comfort. He awkwardly tried to pat her, although looked ready to snap her neck at keeping him tied up dealing with her while order needed to be enforced. Cain walked to the hallway that the Madame had told them was were the 'girls' slept, in case they needed to summon one at any hour and walked down the hallway a short ways before feeling their shoes squelching on the carpeting which had developed a dark hue, the liquid covering it perfectly obvious to either man.
The door was slightly ajar, inside there was the distinct sound of a man retching at who knew what. Cain pushed the door open and it let out a loud moan, as though regretting having to expose the secret kept inside to the pair. The reason for the retching was immediately obvious. The other policeman kneeled over the body as he made his best attempt to examine it for possible clues. Eva lay on the floor, still as innocent and beautiful so it would have looked like she was simply laying on the floor, staring off into space, except for the fact that there was a huge and deep slash running horizontally across her neck. The blood had poured out, leaving a splatter across the wall where clearly she had been standing, staring in shock at her killer until collapsing dead from the blood loss.
"What…what are you two doing here?" The officer, panting, looked up at the two with a sickly face portraying his weak stomach.
"You're partner told us to check on you and make sure you were doing okay," Cain explained, feigning shock.
"Oh I can't stay here a minute longer, Fredrick knows how these massacres affect me, but he just loves the laugh of my pale face after enduring this torture. It's simply not human." The officer briskly walked away leaving the scene open. Cain walked in, gingerly walking around the corpse to avoid further mutilating the girl.
"Well isn't this a mess," Cain sighed, walking over to the open window and examining it.
"Yes it appears as though the poor girl was never able to find any sort of peace, even in death she'll be tormented knowing she was murdered," Riff sighed.
"Which is why we must figure out what's going on and let this young lady finally put her mind at ease," Cain sighed.
"Milord, why have you taken such an interest in the case? Did the girl affect you that much?"
"No, with this final piece slid into place I see how this tragedy was to play out, and I plan to change the ending," Cain smirked, holding up one of the masquerade masks that Eva had set on her dresser to his face.
"Didja 'ea abou' poo' Eva, Oi simply can' believe wot goes on 'round 'eie. Oi'm leavin' wif moi lova' jus' as soon as 'e gets 'eie, 'n I sugges' tha' you n' your friend git jus' the same!" Helene cried, running into Cain and Riff's room.
"Oh yes, it was quite a tragedy about Ms. Eva, so brutal, almost performed in the same style as the bodies that were found of the men disappearing," Cain sighed, taking a drink.
"Wot? They found the bodies of them men? But I though' that theia was no way those'd be found," Helene gasped, sinking into one of the chairs.
"Why are you so frazzled? Now this place can resume business just as soon as the culprit is caught. Everything pointed to Eva, but I feel the whole deal was a set up," Cain explained.
"Wot do y' mean, I' wos cleai as day that that Eva 'ad driven 'erself insane wif her drugs 'n wot not."
"Yes, that did seem perfectly logical to me as well at first until I began to think about it. Prolonged use of that drug would've certainly ravaged the young girl's body, giving her premature wrinkles, causing her hair to fall out, graying of the skin. My partner used to dabble in medicine and it certainly puzzled him to see her looking so perfectly healthy when she'd clearly been doing the drugs for a long period of time."
"But woi then would Eva admit that she used them drugs then?" Helene asked, gripping tight to the chair.
"That was yet another puzzle, she was after all just a girl, not mentally strong enough for the things she had to do. That of course didn't mean that she didn't excel at her job, so much that everyone else had to raise their rates, especially the most experienced of the girls. What man can resist the innocent look? So clearly there was some underground drug business going on, and someone else killing the men. But eventually things were starting to look grim, and a scapegoat needed to be made. Who was better than a mentally broken whore? However, there had to be a way to get the girl to agree to this whole business, by threatening her father. When I went to Eva's room earlier I discovered a masquerade mask on her dresser, but as a whore what masquerades would Eva ever go to? True, it could be from her younger days, but the mask seemed too big, especially for a child. The inside was very interesting however, there was a threat written disclosing all the details of the operation and explaining that Eva's cooperation was necessary or it would mean the death of her father."
"Oh, poo' Eva, I neva' knew someone so cruel as that!" Helene gasped, still sitting on the edge of her seat.
"Yes, it is quite twisted to threaten someone's prized individual. Which is why that plot failed when her father was killed by muggers, the truth was kept from her, though she quickly learned when the Madame got wind of it. With the chains holding her in place broken, the culprits had to ensure that Eva would never speak a word of what she knew and they killed her in cold blood, making the fatal mistake of following their old modus operandi," Cain finished. The sound of carriage wheels roared outside as someone pulled up to the establishment.
"Tha' mus' be moi lova' I simply must go, but I 'ope that you can find yoia killer theia mista' investigato'," Helene smiled, getting up.
"If you don't mind, I simply must see the lover who is able to gently caress such a beautiful woman every night," Cain replied, heading after her.
"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt then could it?" Helene smiled, leading Cain out to the carriage.
"Hello there Cain, you're looking quite well I see," Jizabel Disraeli smiled from inside his carriage.
"And here's where we have our finally," Cain replied, pulling a small pistol from his jacket. "How fitting that your lover should be here to mourn your death."
"Cain, your antics never fail to amuse me, you've had many a chance to dispose of me and yet you never take the chance. Why should this be any different? However, those eyes of yours will be mine as I pluck them and stain that beautiful skin, perhaps upsetting our father, but also ridding him of the problem he failed to dispose of. I'm not here for you today however Cain, I just came to retrieve the remnants of the very elixir that did in your dear friend Eva," The blond chuckled, plucking a vial from out of Helene's hand.
"Oh deia wot will you do now Cain?" Helene teased, beginning to climb into the carriage and locking lips with Disraeli. A shot rang out and the girl crumpled to the ground in a pool of her own blood, choking as blood sputtered from a round hole through her neck.
"Did you think street scum like you meant anything to me? Perhaps you were useful for a laugh and plunging my dear brother deeper into death, but even your dead fellow whore was more useful. This is the end for dear Lucy Locket," Jizabel laughed riding away.
'Wait!" Cain called after him, aiming his gun. Riff came and wrapped his arms around Cain lowering the gun.
"Perhaps you couldn't change the ending of this tragedy, but I give my life that we'll rewrite the ending to your fate," Riff murmured. Cain sighed, pocketing his gun as he tried to accept Riff's words.
"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" Cain asked Madame Bradshaw who held a bag in either hand and was wearing a ridiculous feathered hat.
"Oh don' worry abou' the ol' girl now love, it jus' tickles me t' know tha' I served the nobility. Besides, moi two bes' girls is gone an' these ol' bones is getting' tired of seein' the sad stories. Besides, wif the money from sellin' the place I can take in some kids of me own n' raise 'em the way I shoulda raised Eva and Helene. You'ia a nice boy, but you really should stay out of trouble," the woman smiled, no longer the proud owner of a brothel, but a simple woman.
"Well I'm happy that you can finally begin I good life," Cain smiled, walking over to his own carriage. "It was a pleasure meeting you ma'am."
"No, the pleasuia's all moine," now simply Ms. Bradshaw smiled, waving them off. As Cain passed the brothel in his carriage, in front stood a sign reading 'Barabbas and Company Demesne.'
A/N:: Phew, that was certainly a long one. I was going to break it into three parts but decided against it. Hopefully that will be enough to tide you over until I can release the next one and I apologize for how little I've updated this story, I have some great ideas in store for the future so stay with me and I'll try to bring more romance, more mystery, and of course more Cain!