A/N Drug use and depictions of violence.
You walked arm in arm towards the bar. The walk took longer than planned as you were either stopped by Alastor's fans, and him being the courteous gentleman, he would take the time to talk to them. Either that or stopping to listen to one of the live bands for a moment. You didn't mind the latter but you did feel a tinge of jealousy whenever a woman would stop to gush over him and his broadcasts. You would not admit it to yourself that the jealousy was over the fact it was mainly women who would stop him. More so that you were too accustomed to being in the spotlight.
"It's a miracle you make it to work on time with how often you get stopped." You sneered at him. "Well, I must admit I do have to leave home an hour early to account for such interactions. Punctuality is key for the modern gentleman." He replied, flashing you a smirk. Either he was completely oblivious to your harsh tone or chose to rise above it. "You say punctuality is important to you but yet you make me late to meet my friends." You retorted back at him. "Well my apologies, if it becomes such an inconvenience to you I feel you would better make the journey there by yourself." You could feel he was baiting you once again. Wanting you to beg him to accompany you on your travels. A level of manipulation you were skilled in as you had used it many times before.
"Well when you find the time to pull away from your adoring fans, you know where I shall be. Although I never expected you to disappoint a lady with your services like this. I think getting me part way there you will have to forgo part of your payment." You teased him. "Well, I can't be having a lady feeling disappointed at my services. Although I have not had any complaints so far." His smirk grew and he offered you a wink with it. You were glad that despite seeing your home, he had not lost the cheek or charm that he offered, like many others had. The two of you continued your stroll and whilst he did still stop to greet those who came up to him, the conversations were much shorter.
The outside of the Maple Leaf was painted in a light buttery yellow but the red lights pointed at the upper floor washed out the colour entirely. Sounds of laughter and music flooded out onto the street. The bar was heaving tonight and you struggled to make your way around. No movement could be made without brushing past another patron. It was hard to find anyone in here but the shrill sounds of Alice's cackle alerted you to where the group was gathered.
"Look what the cat dragged in!" Maria piped up. "I didn't know we were allowed to bring men with us. I thought this was a girl's night." Ruth pouted. "Oh like you'd actually be seen out with Gabriel." Maria sneered back. "Enchanté ladies." Alastor finally replied when given a chance to speak. "Don't worry, he was only escorting me here. You can go now." You commanded of him. "I suppose I'll receive that payment another time?" He replied. You turned to the group of women. "I'll be back momentarily." You said taking Alastor's hand and slipping back into the crowd.
The bar was just as crowded as the rest of the establishment and service seemed to be taking forever. Conversation was near impossible over the sounds of other people and music but eventually, the barman made his way down to you. "I'll take a corpse reviver and for the gentleman." You stopped and looked at Alastor. "Two fingers of whiskey, my good man." However whilst awaiting on your cocktail, a lady came and tapped Alastor on the shoulder and requested him to join her for a dance. "I shall have to claim the second part of our deal later on." He offered you as she almost dragged him onto the dancefloor.
You returned to the ladies and took a seat. The topics discussed seemed to drag on more than usual and for a while you couldn't figure out why. Until it dawned on you that you were sat clock-watching, waiting for Alastor's return. He had been quite the dancer the other night but more so you had found him to maybe the most intriguing person you had ever met. Flirtatious with a hint of danger to him. More so, however, he challenged you without fear of repercussions. Yes, George challenged you but you knew with a click of your fingers you could have him fired. Plus his sometimes harsh words came from a place of care.
George had worked for your family since you were a child. Your father was often absent due to work. Your mother was too busy on the social scene. You had an army of maids, cooks, butlers, and nannies. George was always your favourite though. He was firm but fair, he would tend to your every request but he never let you walk over him. Even as you grew older and became more aware of your station in life, he was never afraid to speak his mind but always in a respectful manner. When you're mother had been sent away, everyone else walked on eggshells around you, spoke of her as if she had died, wishing you their condolences. George did none of that. He gave you a lecture on your new status as the lady of the house. However, when he had found you crying that night, he had offered words of comfort. He was more of a father to you than your actual father.
Alastor challenged you the same way George did and he did it with a smile. You got the impression he liked the change in pace, much like you enjoyed it with him. So many other men came with the same flattery and bullshit. Trying to woo you, trying to gain your favor by kissing your ass. There was a certain dance to be performed. A dance that no one had ever taught you but you performed it with finesse and with countless partners. Some starving artists and some notable members of society. The faces may have changed but the dance never did. Until you had met Alastor. For most men, it is more akin to a waltz, slow steps, and close bodies but with him it was something new altogether, something that kept you on your toes as you would try to keep up with his movements, never knowing where the next step would come.
"So who do you think is gonna be next, Lilian?" Alice had asked but you only replied with a 'hmm', having not been paying attention to the conversation's flow. "The next person to be killed, you love all those detective novels and surely your dad has let something slip." Alice continued. Your father had told you nothing, in fact, you had not seen him for the last 3 months since the murders started. Normally his visits would be monthly, more of an obligation than an actual desire to see his only child. He would drop off your allowance, criticize your way of life, compare you to your mother, and then take his leave til the next month. But since the murders it was like he had forgotten you existed.
"Honestly, he's been as close-lipped as ever. Not that he thinks a woman should be worrying herself with such things. It pollutes the mind and all that." You did not wish to say that you had not seen him in many moons. You wished to convey that your life was perfect. "I have noticed that whomever it may be is keeping up with current events though." You add. "What makes you say that?" Ruth inquired. "Well look at who they've been killing. Not a single one of them has clean hands. You hear news of scandal or corruption and then that person is found dead. I think what they're doing is quite amicable." You proposed much to the laughter of those at the table. "Oh you do have the most morbid sense of humour," Maria said.
You had not been joking. Your father had kept a large selection of detective novels where the bad guy was always caught and justice had been served. But overhearing your father speak after work, you were of no illusion that life was ever that simple. Murderers get away with a technicality or because of a good lawyer. Only to commit the same crime time and time again. It wasn't fair. Something else you had been made aware of from a young age was the corruption of money. Those with it could pay off and bribe the police force and governors of the state and meet no consequences for their actions. When you had said it was amicable that had been an understatement to your beliefs. You admired them. Someone who was willing to do what needed to be done.
The night went on and Alastor never returned to you and you thought maybe he had already left. You had, had several young gentlemen ask for your company but proceeded to shoot them all down until eventually you caved and took to the dancefloor, losing yourself in the music, bodies pressed against one another. Parts of the night became lost to the drinks and drugs, large chunks of time you could not remember. The night was nearly over as sobriety began creeping up on you. You went to the bathroom and made sure to remedy that before you needed to head back out.
A few more drinks, a few more dances and it was coming time to call it a night. Ruth and Alice had already headed home for the night and Maria was talking to a gentleman at the bar. You were alone, no, not alone. There were always the thoughts, the intrusive thoughts that lingered in your self-consciousness and slowly crept from the back of your mind. "So I still believe you owe me a dance." A hand comes into your peripheral view. You recognize the tanned hand. "Well, I thought you were just going to leave me all night." You don't turn to face him but you see the hand pull away before Alasor takes a seat beside you. "Well, I was informed it was a ladies' night and I didn't wish to impose. I had hoped to bump into you on the dancefloor but I see you've barely been on the dancefloor." As the bar had emptied it made it easier to hear him, although he spoke in a low voice and you found yourself leaning in closer to him to hear what he was saying.
"Have you been keeping tabs on me all night?" You quipped back at him. "It is a small bar and on the dancefloor, you are bound to brush past many bodies. Yours however was not one of them so try not to flatter yourself too much. But had I been keeping an eye on you, I might have noticed the many suitors that you waved away without so much as a second glance. One might think you were waiting for someone in particular." Alastor grinned. "Well, you'd be right in that presumption. I was waiting for someone but he never showed up." You half huffed. "Maybe I could offer you a dance in his place." He purred. "I think I've lost the mood for dancing. I should be on my way out now." You rose from the table and gathered your handbag. "Well, would you allow me the pleasure of escorting you home again?"
You accepted his offer and the two of you left the bar. The streets were still alive as you made your way down them. You conversed on a series of topics from music to politics. You discovered that you actually had a lot of things in common in your views. However your pleasant conversation was once again brought to a halt as another lady stopped him in the street, you were too drunk to put up the usual pleasantries. "I'll leave you with your adoring fans but darling, you know where I am." You placed a peck on his cheek shooting a steely glare at the other woman. "I'll be sure to catch up with you shortly." As Alastor said this, he took your hand and slipped something into it. "In lieu of my protection and remember what I taught you."
As you walked away you looked at what he had handed you. It was the small knife that he kept in his pocket. Just an excuse to meet up again without seeming like he was needy, you thought to yourself. However, as you head out of the city, the path grows darker, sounds of life fade behind you. "Lilian!" A voice from behind you called out and Charles came into your view. "Well, I never thought I would see the day you walked home alone." He jeered at you. "I never thought I'd see the day you were actually out past midnight." You retorted back at him.
You and Charles had dated briefly. He had not only been boring but exceptionally jealous. You had never cheated on him, or anyone for that matter. You would dance with whoever asked though. As women became more liberated it was much more common to share dance partners. Charles was nearly a decade older than you and he had been more traditional in his views. He also wasn't much of one for the party scene, preferring to host civil dinner parties instead of loud nights of drinking and dancing. The two of you simply did not match one another's needs. However the break up had been a particularly messy one. He had been set in the idea he could make a lady out of you and when you had called things off he did not take it well. Regular visits to your house and showering you with gifts. It was not until your father had to step in that he finally backed off.
You thought you'd at least make light conversation, give Alastor a chance to catch up and prove Charles's comment about you walking home alone to be wrong. But you had been sobering up since the club and his conversation was as boring as ever with him. You reached into your pocket and pulled out your snuff box. "I see you're still filling your body with that poison." He had said as you inhaled a spoonful. When you looked back up at him, the Charles you once knew was no longer standing in front of you. You were face to face with a red-skinned man, with talons rather than fingers. Eyes that glowed red and sharp fangs. Your eyes widened as you stepped back from him, tripping and falling backward.
Whilst the unholy creature had his voice, it was not him. It stepped towards you, hand outstretched but you batted the hand away. It closed in once more, you wanted to scream for help but you could not make a sound. The demonic creature hovered over you and without thinking, you flicked open the knife and swung for the creature. Crimson liquid spewed from its neck as a pained expression crossed its face. Its talons clamped hold of the wound but you found a second wind, pulling yourself to your feet and stabbing repeatedly, not caring where you hit, frenzied motions until the creature collapsed.
You took several deep breaths and pulled your hands up to your face. When you moved them away once more, the monster was gone, only Charles's body remained. Your body was shaking from the shock yet you reached a handout, placing it in the blood that was still spurting out from the wounds. You had taken a life. Worst of all there was the shape of a silhouette coming into view, one you knew all too well. You thought about running but he would find the body and put two and two together. Maybe if you went up to him, it would be too dark for him to see the blood on you, maybe you could convince him to take a detour.
You approached him and kept your head down, your body only illuminated by the moonlight. "My apologies, I got dragged into the bar for..." His voice trailed off as he laid eyes upon you. "Are you hurt?" His tone was low and soothing. You shook your head still keeping it lowered. He placed a hand on it and lifted your face to meet his eyes, he looked you up and down. "He was a monster." You managed to muster. "Where is the body?" He asked, calm and to the point. You led him up the path to where Charles's body was still lying, you wanted to claim self-defense but the amount of stab wounds would say otherwise, so you decided it best to keep silent.
Alastor crouched down over the corpse, he prodded the body and rolled it onto its back. It almost looked like he was admiring your work, "I did not expect you to use the knife but either way, we will have to get rid of this." He offered as he now stood to his feet. "For now, we shall hide this off the path and I will return later to dispose of it." You could not get over how rational he was being in this moment, you however were still at a loss for words. "Are you sure you're okay?" His words finally kick your brain into gear. It was like being asked if you were okay put you on some kind of automatic mechanism to pretend all was fine.
"I am alright," you said we need to hide this. Where do you suggest." You catch a look of surprise on Alstor's face as you snap back to the moment so readily. The two of you carried the body off into some shrubs, Alastor carrying the torso and you, almost dragging the feet along. He then proceeded to walk you home, neither of you saying a word. "Do you need to come in for a bath?" You inquired finally getting sight of his blood-soaked garments in the light of the porch. "No, I assume I shall be getting a little more bloodied by the end of the night." You furrowed your brows in confusion. "I will need to move it again." He elaborated with a level of coldness, referring to the body as an 'It'. "You however should get cleaned up and a good night's rest." You looked down at your hands and arms which were now encrusted with dried blood. "Thank you." You mumbled and Alastor dipped into a bow. "Glad to be of service."
You headed to the bathroom and could not muster the energy to run a full bath, instead filling a bowl and sponging the blood off of you. Watching as you would squeeze the sponge out into the sink and the red liquid would swirl and mix with the water. When you got into bed you'd expected it would take you a while to drift off, that you would be shaken by tonight's experience but you weren't. You drifted off with ease as though some part of you had been sated.