Disclaimer: Read Ch. 1
"Immortality—a fate worse than death." – Edgar A. Shoaff
Ch. 7: The Immortal
Quietly, the figure walked toward the top of the hills. Out in the distance, they saw the forest that many dared not to enter. However, this one dared because nothing scared them; there was a lack of fear and more inhibitions, the freedom.
They walked into the forest until they reached the middle of the dark forest, creating a circle with chalk. "Thrice I call your names. Three I call thee. Reveal thyselves, the three." Suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and a gust of wind. The three with their mystical yellow eyes staring at them.
"Look who comes."
"The one whose summons us."
"You call us to discuss."
"Yes," the summoner answered.
The three started to move around the circle, looking at their summoner. "We sense a great struggle," one of the three spoke.
"Both forces causing the body to buckle."
"You placed a muzzle on your hound, but it still rumbles."
"Enough of your stupid rhymes," anger leaked out with a hiss.
The witch retorted, "You wish for a different reality."
"Why such illogicality?"
"Is it you who wish it or the duality?"
"You stupid bitches, give me the seal," the summoner demanded.
The witches stopped their movements and placed their hands out; one hand out each as they spoke a line each,
"Upon this night!"
"Under the moonlight!"
"We call on Hecate's knight!"
"We carve into this flesh!"
There's cry out of pain.
"Immortality etched!"
Another scream came.
"It is curse you accept!"
"We three decree!"
Jane and Dani pushed through the door and began to search the house. Upon entering, they were greeted with the horrible smell that could only indicate that something was dead. Jane felt the bile come up her throat but held it back as she pushed one door open at her side while Dani took the other side.
Upon Jane's entrance of the room, she was met with nothing in sight except the empty room. The house was not even furnished as if it was never meant to be occupied. Dani opened the door adjacent in the room to reveal the empty closet but, it still didn't answer the question of where the smell was. They continued this with the bottom floor until finally, they began to ascend the stairs.
With each step, they took Jane and Dani both began to feel an ominous feeling in their stomachs. "I have a bad feeling," Jane mumbled, prompting Dani to hum in agreement.
Suddenly, Dani heard a creak and dust rising as if something fast sped by. "Jane, move," Dani shouted as she shoved Jane against a wall quickly before a large blast came from the shadows. Hit directly in chest, the blast sent the detective flat on her back and to the bottom of the staircase.
In that moment, adrenaline kicked into Jane and she fired her gun twice in the area where the shotgun blast came. She then ran down the stairs to reach Dani until she heard a clinking of glass from the chandelier above. She shot two rounds at the sound and a hiss came as the creature dropped to the ground, faceplanting with a loud crack with it. Jane approached it tentatively, picking up the shotgun quickly and unloading the rounds then ran back to Dani.
"Fuck," she cussed as she removed her blazer. Dani's chest was covered in blood, prompting Jane to take out her phone and call dispatch, "Officer down! I repeat officer down!" Jane placed her hand on Dani's neck, searching for a pulse but her heart dropped immediately.
Nothing.
"Damn it," she hissed, placing Dani on the ground. She began to do chest compressions, trying to bring back the detective. "Come on, Danielle."
Unknown to Jane, the creature that she knocked out briefly, began to push its body back up. It twisted its neck then placed out its hand, shifting into a large sharp figure. The creature raised its arm and let out a screech which prompted Jane to look up and roll away quickly. She reached for her gun and fired a couple rounds, but the creature did not flinch. Instead, it charged at Jane, making the Italian diving to the ground to avoid the collision.
But, by the time she was getting up, the creature grabbed her by her throat and pressed her up against a wall. She locked eyes with it seeing the blood red, gleaming as if killing was its only pleasure which it was. It opened its mouth and Jane could feel a burning sensation around her neck. Fuck, I'm going to die, Jane thought as the oxygen was leaving her.
Maura…
Suddenly, there was a shot fired and the creature cried out in pain, dropping Jane to the ground. Jane touched her throat feeling the burn, her eyes then darted up toward her savior and they widened in surprise to see Danielle standing up, holding the shotgun in her hand. Blood was still seeping from her chest as she shot another round, hitting the creature. She shot another round then hobbled over to Jane who was still astonished as the other detective moved her head to the side, "Damn it, the wraith tried to burn the seal of death on you."
"You're alive," Jane muttered.
"You won't be alive if you don't get up," Danielle retorted, helping Jane up and turning back to the wraith that was standing back up.
"How do you stop that thing?"
"Fire or someone dies and as you can see I can't."
The wraith twisted its head around and let out an ear-piercing screech cause the two crouch down in pain. Trying to ignore the ringing in her ears, Dani grabbed Jane and ran to the next room, hiding in a hallway. "We can't hide from this thing forever," Jane mumbled.
"I know but I don't get anything to get a fire going and this house is empty, I doubt there are matches."
"What about our guns?"
"That is only doing barebone minimum. It stuns."
"But if you have a lot, there could be a boom."
"I don't see a barrel of gunpowder anywhere, Rizzoli," Dani hissed, glancing around the corner to see if the wraith was coming.
Jane looked around until finally, something caught her eye. "What about a propane tank," the detective gestured to the propane tank, leaning against a wall.
Dani nodded, peeking again then whispered, "We need to get the wraith positioned in front of that. Hopefully, the combustion will destroy it."
"Will a bullet work?"
"If we both shoot it, maybe. If you use the shotgun, also a maybe but I'm going to light a match near it and that should seal the-"
Suddenly, Dani was grabbed by the leg and dragged away quickly, dropping her revolver along the way. "Dani," Jane shouted.
Dani kicked her leg, trying to push the wraith back but felt it claw her leg, it nails now penetrating into the skin. She lifted her body then grabbed wraith by its shoulders, making it focus on the upper region. She flipped it over and cried out in pain as it clawed her skin, but Dani lunged at the knob twisting it enough to open it, "Jane, get out and shoot the damn tank!"
"But-"
"I cannot fuckin die! Do it!"
Jane sprinted to the doorway, looked back as Dani continued to fight the wraith, prompting the detective to draw her gun and pull the trigger hesitantly.
Adam, Frankie and Maura with Doctor Crane and Doctor Harding reached the bullpen to see Bartu hopping around in the office. "Bartu, status report," Adam ordered as they began to walk quickly toward a door no one noticed before until now. They entered the room, pushing through to reveal a garage.
"We were able to intercept Detective Rizzoli's call and we sent supernatural EMTs to pick them up," Bartu explained.
Frankie frowned and shouted, "You guys are worried about your secret while my sister is out there-"
"With my partner," Adam cut off then looked back at the gargoyle. "ETA?"
"Three minutes."
"Should we take them to a hospital," Maura spoke, trying to hide the worry.
"At the moment, no. Dani prefers not to head to one and it sounds like Jane is okay," Adam assured.
Suddenly, the garage opened, and the ambulance entered quickly. The doors closed quickly, and the back of the ambulance kicked opened to reveal Jane hopping out with a blood-soaked shirt. Doctor Harding, Crane and Maura approached the back with Maura grabbing Jane to examine. "Are you okay," Maura asked as Jane's eyes kept darting back.
"I'm fine. Dani saved my ass," Jane mumbled.
Maura reached up and touched Jane's neck, noticing the burn mark as if a handprint was wrapped around her neck. "What happened to you, Jane," Maura whispered softly.
"Damn it, Danielle," Maura's and Jane's heads snapped to see Dani on the gurney being wheeled to an elevator, making Jane and Maura follow close behind. Maura gasped at the sight to see Danielle covered in third degree burns with the skin, regenerating with blood on her shirt.
Maura gasped at the sight as Dani groaned in pain and Doctor Crane took a syringe, slamming it in Dani's shoulder. The detective cried out and Jane watched as Dani's eyes were starting to change colors from dark brown to a dark blood red. She reached out, gripping onto Adam's shirt and growled, "The vial…give it to me."
"I don't have one," Adam retorted softly.
Dani hissed and her body contorted with the elevator opening to enter the morgue. "You think that it's early for this," Frankie commented.
"She can't die," Jane snapped back.
Frankie's eyes widened as Adam and the two doctors lifted Dani onto the table. Immediately, Crane opened a drawer and pulled out a blue vial. Harding took it and place a syringe, having the needle take in blue liquid then stabbed Dani in the leg. She cried out in pain and contorting stopped, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes as she took in an easy breath.
"What happened," Doctor Harding inquired as Maura observed Dani's burns continuing to heal slowly.
"A…wraith attacked us in the house of the dead vampire…Dani said the only thing to do is kill it with fire," Jane explained.
"It tried to…mark…Jane," Dani retorted as Harding and Crane leaned over with tweezers.
Maura raised her hand, "Are you going to pull the pellets out?"
"Only way unfortunately and the morphine will last for only so long," Harding explained. With that comment, Crane pulled out a pellet causing another hiss to spill.
Maura sighed, taking Jane's hand and gestured her to the other autopsy table. Jane gave a weary look as she took a seat with Maura first examining her hands and her slightly torn shirt. "You're bleeding a little bit," Maura pointed out, dabbing the wound with some alcohol. The Italian hissed in pain while Maura whispered, "I'm sorry."
"I'll be fine. Most of this blood is Dani's."
Maura nodded, feeling her body relax with the sight of Jane safe and sound. Jane and Maura then heard a small cough as Dani sat up with the help of Adam. The burns were gone completely, and the bullet holes were starting to close slowly. Dani removed her shoulder holsters and her ruined button shirt
"How," Frankie gawked at the sight.
Dani didn't reply but rotated her neck with Crane placing a stethoscope then took a deep breath in then released it. "Lungs are functioning well," Crane informed the others. He moved the stethoscope to the heart, listening it while Jane took in the sight of Dani. On the center of her back was a weird mark as if it was cut into her skin, it was an odd shape with a straight line going down then it looped around in three deformed rings. "Alright, Danielle. It seems that your healing process is healing you well and we removed most of the shrapnel. If there's any left over-"
"I'll inform you," Dani assured Crane.
Adam handed Dani a scrub shirt from the drawer and asked, "Did the wraith mark you?"
"Nah. Almost marked Jane."
"Should we be worried?"
"Yo," Jane waved her hand, prompting the two detectives to look at Jane. The Italian slid off the table and eyed Dani first, "How the hell are you even alive? You had no pulse."
"Like I said in that house, I can't die," Dani reemphasized.
"Then how old are you really," Maura wondered, knowing that Dani's age being respectfully thirty years of age.
Instead of answering the question, Dani went to her front pocket of her pants to pull out the pocket watch covered in a bit of blood then noticed there was a small nick on it. She sighed, "Fucken hell…" She placed it on the table and opened it to see a crack straight down the middle.
"Danielle?"
"One hundred and sixty-four years old."
"You were born in 1856," Maura said in awe.
"Yes."
Jane moved closer, "So you're a supernatural?"
"Not…exactly," Dani answered, tucking her pocket watch away. "It's complicated and I'll tell it at another time but right now, I want to find out why the wraith was the vampire's place."
"So they expected you to come," Frankie pointed out.
"Who knows but we need to get back to the house."
"Let me call Korsak and Frost, we'll check it out. You guys need to rest."
Adam agreed and touched Frankie's shoulder, "I'll go with them just in case." With that statement, Dani frowned in displeasure, prompting Adam to state, "You need to rest. You were shot."
"I-"
"Danielle, just rest."
Dani sighed heavily, "Fine. But you need to-"
"Text or call you."
Maura then grabbed Jane's arm and gestured, "We're going back to my house." She then looked at Dani, "You're coming too."
"Excuse me," Dani questioned.
Jane leaned over and whispered, "Don't question it. Just come with us." Dani crossed her arms in front of the chest and eyed Maura then sighed, the doctor's expression said it all.
She had no choice.
R&I
Maura drove the two detectives who sat quietly in her car much to their despise. Eventually, they pulled up to Maura's house where they were greeted immediately by Angela Rizzoli, tackling Jane into a bear hug.
"Oh Janie, I was so worried," the woman whined with worry. She was rocking Jane back and forth much to Maura's amusement and Dani's pure confusion.
Jane tried to breathe and avoid the nausea coming, coughing, "Ma, I want to breathe!"
"Your brother tells me that you were almost hurt! I'm so glad you're okay!" Angela then released the hug and engulfed Maura in the same embrace. "I haven't seen you in days! What is going on?"
"Actually, that's my fault, Mrs. Rizzoli," Dani intervened.
"And you are?"
Before Maura or Jane could say anything, Dani stepped forward with an extended hand and shook Angela's hand. "Doctor Danielle Stevenson," Maura and Jane exchanged confused expressions, but Dani continued, "I work for Boston PD as a liaison for special cases. Doctor Isles and I have been working together; she's been extremely helpful especially with her time."
Angela smiled, "That's our Maura. Her generosity is-"
"Profound," Dani completing Angela's statement. "In fact, she was kind enough to let me sleep on her sofa tonight due to excessive work habits."
"You're just as bad as my Janie." Jane rolled her eyes, but Angela continued, "Did you eat?"
"Um…no?"
Suddenly, Dani was grabbed by her arm and gestured into Maura's house by Angela. Jane and Maura watched the exchange, laughing a bit until Jane stopped and brought her gaze toward Maura. The doctor returned the gaze then moved closer toward Jane, wrapping her arms around her waist. The gesture didn't surprise Jane; the detective wrapped around Maura, hugging her back and whispered, "You usually don't like hugs."
"From others, yes. From you, no and…I'm just glad you're okay," Maura retorted softly.
Jane rubbed Maura's back, kissing the top of her head. "Dani saved my ass," Jane stated.
"Language."
"It's true.
"I'm grateful," Maura looked up at Jane with their eyes locking.
They seemed to start lean toward each other with their faces moving closer until they heard, "Janie! Maura! Come inside before you catch something."
The two both groaned, pressing their foreheads against each other, sighing. Jane then took Maura's hand, walking into the house together. Upon entering, they were immediately met with the sight of Dani being handed several plates of food with a confused expression.
"All this food isn't necessary," Dani tried to assure Angela who handed her a cup of wine.
"You need to eat since you're working so hard." Jane noticed the surprised look on Dani's face before it disappeared behind the wine glass as she took a large sip. The other detective then began to fill her plate quietly, prompting Jane and Maura to sit at the table as well. "So Danielle, are you married," Angela asked in her classic not so casual tone.
"Ma," Jane hissed.
Dani didn't seem fazed by the question and took another sip from the wine then swallowed. "No," she answered finally, "I prefer the single life."
"But don't you want a husband and family?"
Jane facepalmed and Dani gave a small smirk, "Well, I never was interested in men."
Angela's eyes widened but caught herself, "Oh! Then a nice woman with a family?" Jane's jaw dropped at her mother's question while Maura stood up, walking quickly to a wine glass and pouring some wine.
"Maur, get me some," Jane requested.
The doctor nodded, handing Jane a wine glass while Dani continued, "I've never been the marriage type."
Before Angela could mutter another word, Jane cut off her mom quickly, "Ma, how about you let our guest eat instead of you hassling her?"
"Alright, alright," Angela raised her hands in surrender, walking toward the back door. "I'll leave you girls to your dinna."
"Thank you, Mrs. Rizzoli," Danielle smiled softly.
Angela nodded and the door open then closed, leaving the three women at the table.
Jane sighed, "I'm sorry about her."
"At least you got a caring family."
"You don't?"
Dani leaned back in her chair, "Back in the Victorian times, there was a way to show affection to your children, at least, when it came to my father to my twin brother and I."
"You had a twin brother," Maura repeated.
Danielle took out her pocket watch, sliding it over to Maura and Jane. "This watch belonged to my father then he passed it to down to my brother once he got his doctorate. It was a gift for such a great accomplishment unlike myself," Dani frowned.
"Who were you prior?"
Someone you don't want to know, the low hiss came. "An artist."
"Your pops didn't approve," Jane asked, taking a bit of macaroni.
"My father was a man of few words, Jane. I could hear the…detest in his voice. Wanted me to be a proper lady and as you can see, I'm not that proper."
"Your brother? Surely, he supported you."
Dani gave a sad smile. "My brother was supportive to an extent…he was more focused on his studies of science. I was smart, observant, and I could keep up with my brother and eventually, to avoid my father and prove to him how useful I was. I became my brother's 'assistant' and I wrote his notes and eventually, I learned science; chemistry, the mind, and body itself and still my father wasn't happy." Dani took a large sip from her wine then continued with her expression softening, "Then…my father got sick. Back in the time, the illness of mind couldn't be treated as it is today. My brother and I tried to care for him, but he was too far gone and eventually, he had to be placed in the asylum. My brother, at time, was hoping to find the cure, an answer in his mind."
"To the cure the mind," Jane mumbled. "What does that mean?"
"To fix my father's mind of his affliction, to bring back the man who raised my brother to be a success."
"What happened to your brother," Maura inquired, piecing together that there was no cure to Dani's father's illness.
"He died unexpectedly. Murdered."
Without needing to exchange a word of condolences, Jane touched Dani's shoulder and Maura leaned over touching her hand. Dani bowed her head and continued, "After he passed, I traveled a bit from Britain to France to Romania then back. Upon returning to Britain, I met Professor Abraham Van Helsing and he informed me that he planned to travel to America due to his work studies into the supernatural."
Jane raised an eyebrow. Something is missing from this story. When did Dani become part of Nightfall and her father wasn't part of Nightfall previously, so she didn't know about the supernatural yet. "When did you become immortal," Jane questioned.
A nice trip in Scotland out of desperation, the voice hissed.
"A long time ago with a memory that I would like to forget. Immortality has its own curse."
Suddenly, causing all three to jump, Jane's phone rang which prompted her to answer it, "Rizzoli."
"Well, we were able to get into the house that you were talking about," Korsak spoke.
"Found anything?"
"Adam checked for the wrath thing-"
"Wraith," Dani corrected as she stood up to place her dish into the sink,
Jane rolled her eyes but continued to listen to Korsak, "You guys definitely blew that fucker away. We headed toward upstairs and we found another body, but it is missing a torso. A complete torso is missing and the guy's muscle out."
"Only arms and legs are left?"
"Don't forget about his head, Janie! His head is left over and its pretty nasty. It's really bloody," Jane heard her brother state.
"Thanks for that great detail. Can you guys get those parts transported to the morgue?"
"Already ahead of you. Get some rest, Janie," Korsak said.
"Thanks Vince." Jane ended the phone call.
"Jane, I'm going to get washed up," Maura informed the detective. She touched Jane's shoulder, rubbing it gently causing Jane to lean back her head with her eyes closed.
"Alright Maur."
Maura glanced back at Dani who walked pass them and asked, "Sofa?"
"Danielle, you can sleep in the guest bedroom. Jane and I can share my bed." Jane opened her eyes and looked at Dani who raised an eyebrow but shrugged. Maura then looked back at Jane, "I'll meet you upstairs."
Jane nodded, feeling Maura's hand slid away and walked up the staircase, leaving the two detectives alone. They continue to look at each other until Dani turned away, rubbing her neck once more then pulled out the blue vials in her pocket.
"What is that," Jane questioned, standing up from her chair and approaching Dani. "You have so many and drink it a lot. Is it like a medicine?"
Jane watched as there was some hesitation in Dani's face before she answered cautiously, "You can say that. It's something that helps me out."
"Like when your body was acting weird earlier?"
"My immortality makes my body react differently. Sometimes, it recovers easily but sometimes, my body needs this ingested. When I was bleeding out...and my body was having a bad reaction…it needed to be injected."
"What's the reaction?"
Yeah Danielle, what's the reaction?
"Let's just say the pain is…unbearable." She twirled the vial in her hand and continued, "I think I'll go to bed."
It was an odd conclusion to the conversation, but Jane didn't question it as much. She was just as tired, so she walked toward the stairs and gestured for Dani to follow. The two walked together until they reached the guest bedroom, Dani nodded and stepped inside with Jane walking down the hall to Maura's room.
Dani walked into the spare room to see a pair of clothes placed out. They seemed big and baggy, most likely belonging to Jane. They seem very intimate unlike yourself, the voice whispered.
"Shut up."
What you don't want to think about having a warm, voluptuous body against you? It's been a while…a vampire let alone Dr-
"That was a mistake."
One you took whole heartedly but no, you are eyeing someone new. That witch? You have nice taste.
"Don't you dare talk about her."
Oh, I hit a nerve finally.
Dani rubbed the back of her neck, slipping out of her dirty clothes into the laid-out pajamas. She then took out the blue vial in the pocket and opened it.
Aw, you're trying to shut me off. Remember I'm part of you. I am you.
"You are not me in any shape or form."
Hide behind your lies but eventually, everyone will know who you are really, Danielle especially Regina.
There was a low chuckle with Dani mumbling, "You think I care cause I don't. I don't at all." She then lifted the vial to her lips, drinking the liquid with the voice fading deep within. The whisper still burning her ears but headache that was growing was fading now.
She placed the vial on the nightstand then rested her head on the pillow. Her own thoughts were coming back once more; a clear head space until it returns again.
Years of the back and forth, ignoring most of the comments but this case, involving so much chaos. She wasn't even sure why it was out more than ever. She needed to keep the control for everyone's sake.
It was starting to read her thoughts, being more conscious and aware of its surroundings, knowing more than it should.
It was not a good sign and it meant that Dani didn't have many options to handle the situation. Only few knew and they were now dead; everything about who she was, who she used to be was hidden away for a reason because if anyone found out about the truth.
No one would be safe.
R&I
She opened the door to see Maura reclined in her bed with a book in her hand with a pair of glasses perched over her nose.
"Dani settled in," Maura inquired without looking up, hearing Jane's footsteps step into the bathroom.
"Yup. But she's giving me a weird vibe."
Maura looked up from her book, glancing over to see Jane stripping her shirt off. A blush rushed up Maura's cheeks as she cleared her throat and returning her gaze back to the book quickly. "Is this a gumshoe thing?"
"It's…I don't know. I just have a weird feeling that she's not telling us something."
"Well, we did go from a world of reality to this, Jane."
"I wonder why she never mentioned that she can live forever though," Jane retorted, slipping into the bed, now dressed in her pajamas.
Maura closed her book and took off her glasses, she turned the light off then rested her head on the pillow. "Maybe, it's a sensitive subject," Maura posed.
"Are you guessing?"
"No, I am suggesting that it's something private to Danielle. She may be working with us, Jane but I'm not sure if Danielle recognizes us as friends. I don't think she has many."
"How so?"
Jane heard the sigh. "She reminds me…of me before I met you. Yes, she's more open but I can see it in her eyes. There's a reservation, a fear to let someone in and be part of you." Jane turned onto her side to see Maura continue to stare up at the ceiling.
"But you let me in," Jane whispered.
Maura turned onto her side. Her hand reached out and touched Jane's cheek tentatively with Jane placing her hand over hers. "Cause you were able to see me," Maura retorted, pulling her hand away and rolled over to the other side.
"And you see me." Jane then gave a small smile in the darkness and moved closer, wrapping her arm around Maura with her eyes falling close for the deep slumber.
Thanks for reading! Sorry it took so long but please review and all that good stuff! See you next time.