The Ten Commandments Killer

Wren was dead. She was never coming back.

If Detective John Lowe had never set foot in the hotel that night five years ago, so many lives could have been spared; Holden never would have been kidnapped and forced to spend all eternity stuck as a five year-old child, Alex won't be a vampire, and Wren would still be here.

As she made her way down to the lobby, Callie couldn't help but think back to the night she first met the once-great detective who was now falling into a downward spiral. One in which he would never be able to escape.

Flashback – 2010

Standing slightly behind her mistress, Callie watched as James Patrick March loomed over the barely conscious foam of John Lowe.

"He is the one."

"I don't want him, not now. He's been poisoned with that moonshine of yours" Elizabeth remarked from her spot by the wall. "I didn't invite you here to feed off of him you perverted animal, I need your help", James stated before turning back to John.

With demonic black eyes and a demented smile, James leaned in close to the detective. "…He is the one…all of the others I have tried to mentor to finish my work, Gacy, Ramirez, that poof Dahmer, all amateurs compared to this one."

Oh my God. He wants Detective Lowe to become the new Ten Commandments Killer. Callie realized with horror as she took a shaky step back towards the wall.

"He won't do it."

James was not pleased with Elizabeth's brief but adamant statement. "Why!? This man has greatness in him! Once in a generation rage, and he knows that if he let's go even slightly…he will hurl himself into the abyss" James finished as Elizabeth walked up next to him to gaze down at the still semi-conscious detective. Callie remained standing by the wall farthest from the bed, as well as from her supernatural superiors.

"He won't let go", Elizabeth said as she gently caressed John's hand. "He still has hope."

Seeing an opportunity to possibly sway James March to change his mind about making John Lowe his murderous replacement, Callie stepped forward and approached the undead couple from Elizabeth's right.

"Mr. March, Mistress, if I may speak freely?"

With a nod from Elizabeth and a sneer from James, Callie began to speak. "I must say that I agree with Mistress. Detective John Lowe has a life and a family. No matter how much he hates the world and the injustices in it, he will not give up his family or risk losing them for anyone or anything."

Still staring down at John, Elizabeth gave a smug smile; pleased that the teenage vampire agreed with her. James on the other hand, simply waved off their options. "That can be easily remedied. He just needs a little shove."

"Why would I help you when it gives me so much joy to see you suffer?" Elizabeth said with a small sadistic smile. With an irritated huff, James picked up John's wallet a handed it to the Countess. "He has children. The little boy is very beautiful." Elizabeth's interest peaked while Callie's heart sank, for she knew where this was going.

James then focused his eyes on Callie and gave her a wicked smirk as he continued to speak to Elizabeth. "…perhaps even more so than Miss Callie's…deceased…little brother."

…How dare you. How dare you bring up Danny.

Feeling tears of sorrow and anger come to her eyes, Callie clenched her teeth as her entire body tensed; struggling to contain the rage and hatred she felt towards the evil man standing less than three feet away from her.

After hearing what James said about Callie's brother, Elizabeth shot him a cold look before going back to admiring the picture of Holden. "Like I said, he just needs a little push, a nudge into the darkest places of his heart" James said as he stared down at John. "He needs to hate the whole world, and everything in it."

Snapping the wallet shut, Elizabeth leaned in a placed a soft kiss upon John's lips; sealing the unspoken agreement between her and James Patrick March. He would have a new apprentice while she would have a new child to add to her collection.

As the Countess turned and made her way out of the room, Callie hastily followed her. Once they had exited Room 64, the Countess turned and showed the picture of John and his family to Callie. "What do you think Callie dear? Do you like your new brother?"

Present Day

As Callie reached the main lobby, she stopped in her tracks when she heard two familiar voices coming from the front desk; along with a smell that she immediately recognized.

Blood. Fresh…human…blood.

Looking out from behind the staircase, she saw John and Iris. "Oh thank Jesus…that was exhausting" Iris mumbled with a tired shake of her head. "Every time I saw you I didn't know which John I was talking to. Some nights I'd be so temped to set you straight but…I'd look into your eyes, see the pain…didn't feel right for me to add to it."

"I wasn't ready."

With her focus now on John, Callie's eyes widened as she took in the paper bag he was carrying in his right hand; a paper bag with a decent amount of blood seeping through it. Callie edged out from behind the staircase as she took in the scene before her: A depressed, murderous and emotionally-unstable man carrying a paper bag containing a human body part into a public place.

The sight was horrific and yet not all that surprising to Callie. Just when I thought I'd seen it all she thought to herself as she continued to listen in on the conversation between the two adults.

"Well, it sounds like you have no regrets?"

"None…except for Wren."

Callie hung her head in sorrow at the mention of her adopted sister.

"That wasn't on you John. Wren died because of Sally."

WHAT?!

As Iris told John what she overheard Sally tell Wren years ago, Callie came to the same heartbreaking realization as John. "Wren was trying to protect me." With a sad sigh, Iris nodded. "Well I guess, in some twisted way we all were." Not wanting to hear anymore, Callie used her vampire speed to run up to her room; where she slammed the door shut and proceeded to scream.

"THAT STUPID, SELF-CENTERED, NO-GOOD-FOR-NOTHING, CARELESS, HEARTLESS BITCH!"

Overcome with emotion over the fact that Sally caused Wren's death, along with everything else that had happened over the past few months, Callie opened her mouth and unleashed a deafening scream; filled with all of the anguish, sorrow, anger and helplessness she had kept locked inside for the past five years.

It was so loud, it was heard by all of the inhabitants of the Hotel Cortez.