Danny was not at home when it happened.
He had taken Grace for a father-daughter day out. Only two year old and was already demanding for a round – or three – of pony ride at the Merry-Go-Round. So, being a loving father to his precious Monkey, he took Grace for a day out at a grand mall. They do have kids zone, arcades and sports centre on the upper level.
After a fulfilling day at the indoor playground – with lunch at McDonald's. A bag of candy for indulgence later. And one last ride at the Merry-Go-Round, Danny at this point just sat calmly at the carriage-like benches – they head home with high spirit.
All that came to a screeching halt when he saw numerous police cars with their red and blue lights flickering, officers about taking notes from neighbours, medicals and forensics going in and out, and yellow tapes barricaded the area of a crime scene – right in front of his house.
Danny felt his heart dropped all the way to the floor. His house is a crime scene!
Danny was even more shocked to see his coworkers, even his Captain, was present and talking to his worried mother with his brother nearby.
Danny was snapped out of his shock when Matt looked around, stressed was written all over his face, and saw Danny stood frozen at the back of the crowd of onlookers. "Danny!" Matt exclaimed loudly and swiftly went over his brother. "Danny! Grace! Oh, thank goodness…"
Danny quickly scampered towards them. Grace held tightly in his arms. Panic and dread warred within him. "Matt! Ma! What's going on?" He barely registered the tangle of limbs of his brother and mother or his mother's sobs as she cried in relief. He was eyeing his Captain, who also came over with some of his colleagues. "What happened?"
His Captain was silent and his colleagues were avoiding looking at him. That got Danny even more worried. "What's going on? Is it my house? Where's Rachel? What's going on?!"
His Captain finally took pity at Danny's alarmed and took a step closer and said outright. "There's been a double homicide in your house, Williams. Rachel was murdered along with one other. I am sorry for your loss."
Danny's legs gave away and he would have fell to the floor if it wasn't for Matt. High pitched whistle ringing in his ears and he barely comprehended anything else. All he could grasped, was that Rachel was dead. His wife was dead. Killed in their own house.
"What…" Danny breathed in disbelief.
Grace tapped his cheek. She was murmuring, "Da… da… da…" while rubbing her eyes sleepily. Danny looked at his baby in shock, having forgotten he was holding her, before his wits came about him. Danny immediately passed Grace to his mother. "Ma, take Grace. I'll see you back at the house. I need to – I need to see… Take Grace." Danny babbled.
With one last hug to his mother and brother, Danny unceremoniously crossover the yellow tapes. His Captain tried to waylaid him. "I would advise against it, Williams. You know the rules. And… it's ugly in there."
Danny nodded. "I know, sir. I know. But I got to see…" Danny continued towards the house.
He met his partner, Graciela – more commonly known as Grace – Tillwell, at the door. "Danny, there's something else you should know before I let you in." Grace said gently. Her eyes were sad and sympathetic. But she held Danny firmly as she hold Danny by the door. "Rachel was not alone when the murder happened. There was a man with her. We don't know who he was, but by their position and where they were slaughtered…. I think what they were doing was pretty clear. Oh, Danny, I'm so sorry."
"What are you saying, Grace?" Danny asked her, confused.
Grace said nothing. But she led Danny into his single storey house. And she steered Danny straight towards the bedroom.
Danny stumbled at the door. He looked at the scene of the crime in horror. Then, when his brain registered what he was seeing, he turned to Grace in shock and in denial. Grace could only consoled him by rubbing his back in comfort. But by the pitying looks she – and everyone else – was giving him, what he was seen was the truth.
Blood was everywhere. It splattered on every furniture in the room. It stained on the walls and even on the ceiling, sprayed heavily all the way down. There were even writings on the wall.
On the blood-soaked bed lay two victims. Both were naked as the day they were born. There were numerous slash wounds – likely the cause of death – some as big as a claw-like gash. The slices was what painted walls red. Their faces were forever immortalized in grotesque terror. Their glazed unseeing eyes widened in ultimate fright and mouths gaping in an unnatural silent scream.
The victims were in one piece. But the amount of blood on the bed and the huge lacerations gave the illusion of them, not killed by a man-made weapon, but by being attacked by a huge animal. Animal with big, wicked claws.
It was a gruesome sight. Like from a horror movie. With Freddy Krueger as the main lead.
Danny could only looked on in numbed and muted shocked.
It was unbelievable. It was inconceivable. He couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.
No wonder everyone was tiptoeing around him. Why all the medic and forensics that work with him avoided looking at him. The victims on the bed was telling enough.
Rachel was cheating on him.
She was cheating on him and didn't bother to have some tact about it. She was fucking another man – in their home, in their bedroom, on their bed!
And now, both her and her lover were obscenely exposed with their deaths.
Danny turned to his partner in devastation. His heartbreak clear for all to see. Grace said nothing. She simply took Danny into her arms as he cried, the implication of this affair shattered him without a doubt.
Once his turbulent emotions had ran it's course. Danny slowly untangled himself from his partner, grateful beyond measure for her never-ending support.
Danny took one last look at his bedroom. Taking in one last time at the crime scene, cataloguing everything and commit them to his memory. He immediately and swiftly walked out out of the house.
Later on, the investigators in charge will concluded that this was the case of a jealous ex. The jealous ex of Rachel's lover, he meant. The expressive words painted in their blood at the wall above the headboard was to be believed. It certainly led the investigation towards that direction.
But Danny has his doubt.
For you see, despite what it looked like and portrayed, the scent he picked up, the dark ambience, the presence of another – sort of gave it away.
. . . . .
Danny hated Rachel parents. Especially her father. That asshole was blaming Danny for his precious daughter's death. He certainly make no secret about it. And when he threated to take Grace's custody from him, Danny saw red.
He decked him right then and there.
Needless to say, Danny didn't think he'll be invited to Rachel's funeral in England, where she'll be interred.
Funnily enough, Danny had the support of his mother in law. Amanda was heartbroken how this tragedy was discovered. She was sad and disappointed that Rachel followed in her father's footstep. Rachel should know better as she had seen how her own parent's marriage came to an end because of infidelity. Because of this, Amanda was very sympathetic towards her son in law. She might disagree on his profession, but she knew Danny treated her daughter well.
But that was neither here nor there.
Right now he was searching for his wayward twin sister.
Why he was searching for her you may asked? Because she has the answers he needed.
That scent? That other presence at his house? That feel of something... Belong to his sister.
She might be able to masked and hide her presence from the man-made technology and the masses. But she never could hide nor mask herself from him. They're twins afterall!
He found her at the place he knew she would be. Her little refuge, so to speak. Her sanctuary. Her conservatory.
Stella was tending to one of her plants, as she was wont to do. Her little vegetables and herbs were green and growing. She's more prone to farming than gardening. And the Williamses would just asked her for the vegetables because Stella's fruits and veggies were delicious, much to her ire.
However, lately she began to cultivate flowers. Specifically, roses.
And what do you know – she's tending to a black rose.
Stella don't even look up even when he stood beside her. "Stella, what did you do?" Danny greeted her directly. No point of him making meaningless conversation. They both know why he visited her.
Stella hummed as she scented the new rose that she just planted. She lightly ran her hands on some of the petals. Danny saw that some of them were blooded. "Whatever do you mean, brother mine?"
Danny inwardly groaned. Stella was feeling playful. That meant she might not answered him immediately. "You know what I mean, sis. What happen at my house?"
She chuckled as she turned to face her twin. And her laughter echoed lightly. Disembodied and playful. As if there was a few people laughing with her. As if there were few spirits laughing with her.
Such was the way of a Fae.
Danny ignored Stella's little helpers. Those little faeries and pixies can be annoying. They dance and twirl and loves to play prank. Grace adored them. Always leaving them food whenever they visited.
Danny sighed tiredly. "Stella, please. What happened that incurred your wrath?"
Stella's sharp smile that she has been teasing her brother with, dropped and her expression turned stormy. The air chilled instantly, tuned to her anger. "I dropped by your house. Intending to share with you and Gracie our special cookies that I baked," Stella said frostily. Her eyes beginning to flare. Her fingers elongated to claws and her teeth sharpened. "I saw them going at it. In your house. On your bed. In full view, no less. Moaning wantonly. Gasping shamelessly. Not even trying to be silent. They don't even have a decency to do it at a hotel!" Stella hissed, growling in her fury. By then, her human glamour are gone and she was in her full Fae glory. "Bold of her to cross a Fae. Especially with you, my twin."
In respond to his sister, Danny himself let his disguises dropped. His eyes became vibrant, more intense and bejewelled. His face became angular and more youthful – as they are young by Fae's standard. His skin glinted in their ethereal glow and his hair shine softly. His ears pointed distinguishly.
Unlike Stella, Danny did not let his fingers became a claw nor his teeth sharpened – as there are no threats present. Instead, he emitted calmness through their sibling bond. Wanting to soothe his sister.
Stella instantly calmed and smiled genially, almost serenely at Danny. Her teeth no longer sharp and her claws turned into a long manicured nails painted in dark red. The same dark red of her lips. "So I reminded those unworthy mortals what happen to those that wronged us. How do you like my gift, Danny? Beautiful aren't they?"
"Macabre," Danny replied deadpanned. "Especially the souls stealing that you've done. I recognised your work right of. You have a fondness in dragging their souls painfully through their mouth." Danny trailed off. Suddenly feeling overwhelmed as what he just said registered in his mind as he was describing his late wife. "You could just have told me, you know. I love her!"
Stella step closer and gave Danny a hug. She held Danny gently. "I walked in on them. What makes you think I won't take the opportunity to avenge my brother?" Stella clicked her tongue in distaste. "And plus, you won't love Rachel for much longer. Not with how she's planning to take Grace away from you."
"What?!" Danny exclaimed sharply.
"He must have come over to plan with the bitch about divorcing you. The laptop was on and the open browser shows the research about wrestling full custody from you. Maybe severing all parental rights even, if I read one of the tabs correctly." Stella explained. "Grace is a Fae child. A Halfling, certainly. But a Fae child nonetheless. You know the rules of the Fae. I can't allow her to take Gracie from you. It would have kill her, Danny."
Danny was silent for a while. Listening and understanding what Stella just told him. Rachel was mortal. Just a simple mortal. And like any mortals, Rachel doesn't know the consequences of slighting a Fae.
It was one thing to cuckold him. It was another matter entirely to threatened Grace. It was the threat to a Fae child that was the grounds for death.
The truth was, the Williams clan are mortals. Only Stella and Danny was born full Fae. They weren't related to the Williams by blood but were adopted by them when Eddie and Clara found them on their honeymoon in Scotland. An abandoned twins that has blood on them, leading the authorities believed that their parents were dead. They were not wrong. Their real Fae parents were dead. Killed in the skirmish between the Seelie and Unseelie.
"Divorce is a thing, sis." Danny said tiredly.
Stella rubbed her hand on her brother consolingly, a rare moment of kindness and gentleness from her. Since she entered the service of their Fae Queen's court, she showed her love only to Danny and Grace. Their Queen can be ruthless and unforgiving. She expected her attendants to carry themselves with decorum befitting their Court. "We are what we are, brother mine."
They sat silent after that once Stella led her twin to a little lounging area that has a rounded day bed. Stella let her brother mourned for an undeserving woman yet once loved. Danny grasped his sister tightly by their joined hands, basking in the tranquillity. The sound of faeries and pixies wings fluttering added to the ambience.
Now that Danny have his answers, he doesn't know what to do next. Stella was right. She was within her power to seek retribution on his behalf. More so once it involved Grace. Her actions were permissible under Fae law and very much in-line with their Fae nature.
Danny certainly can't condemn his twin for acting on instinct.
One thing he can do is moving to a new house. He certainly won't stay at the very home where Rachel cheated. The memories there was tainted. Much less was he inclined to sleep in the very room or bed where the act happened. He'll just asked the brownies for a full clean up. Make sure there's no blood anywhere and sprinkle some faery dust to make the house revert to brand new. Some magic to change perception and make the mortals forget that a double homicide ever took place there and he can sell the house at full price. With how big the house was, he can get a nice nest-egg.
Which reminds him…
"'You useless cheating bastards'. Really?" Danny voiced his incredulous at the writings on the wall that Stella left behind. The same writing left the investigators perplexed.
Stella snorted. "What better way to get the cops off my tail? I wanted to go for cheating slut or cheap whore but that will be too obvious. Figures a little misdirection was warranted."
Danny hummed. He stilted when a few faeries flutter by and braided flowers around his hair. Some of them giggled at the flower crown now adorned his head. Just because he has gold hair….
"One more thing, Danny…" Danny was snapped out of his musing by Stella, who was grinning at him mysteriously. Her grin widened at Danny's wary gazed. "Our dark queen – commanded that your next coupling, better be with your true and fated mate. Someone your own kind this time, yeah."
Danny's jaw dropped at Stella's forwardness. Then, he pouted. Because he was aware what this was all about. "You're just saying that so I can be pregnant with full-blooded Fae babies!"
Stella snickered. It was no secret what she thought of Rachel. She can never fully warm with that girl. She knew that Rachel was not suitable for Danny nor were they compatible with each other. Granted, she adored Grace. Halfling her niece may be, but the Fae blood in her was strong. It's Rachel that was the problem. Her and Danny was never meant for a happy ending. And her intuition about them was proven true, no?
Stella eye's rolled when he saw Danny's pouting deepened. "If he's your dominant mate, sure. I'm not judging, Danny. You'll look gorgeous being a Mommy. However, I'm saying this because we Faes have a long lifespan, yeah? I don't think you want to surround yourself with short-lived relationships and numerous heartbreaks. The queen did not command it out of malicious intent."
Danny nodded, feeling totally resigned to his fate. Who was he to go against their queen's ordained. "Wait – he?!" Danny's eyes snapped to Stella in shocked.
Stella was utterly unimpressed. "That's what you're hung up on? For real?"
Danny flailed. "I was joking about the pregnancy, Stella!"
"I'm not. My twin deserve nice things!" Stella cooed at her baby brother.
Danny glared. Just because he's younger by a few seconds. "Why a he?"
"Blame the Oracle."
"Oh come on," Danny whined. Yes, he whined. Their oracle were a meddlesome old crone and she can be incessant. There are times their oracle refused to accept other outcomes from her visions interpretation. Danny had done his best to stay away from the oracle's radar.
"Don't look at me. I'm just the messenger." Stella said outright and unrepentant.
Danny groaned.
. . . . .
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- Elvina P.