The Secrets That Shadows:
A sight of Wyatt in the middle of changing his shirt after coming back from assisting with a case. Section of his torso had a certain array of surgical scars and areas of skin grafts. Mixed with web-like skin patches over one of his arms was a twisted, freshly messed up mess. What greeted Goleon when he accidentally saw it when passing his room. Stayed with him long after he left with Elaine that afternoon to run errands.
"What's wrong?" She asked him.
"Your brother," He couldn't get the image out of his head, "Half of his torso was scarred?"
"He was in a nasty accident during his haunter training in his early 20s," Elaine recalled the memory, "Spent a year and a half recovering in hospital as our late mother helped him heal. He did a lot of soul searching while continuing his medical education also."
"…" Goleon went quiet.
"He got into mechanical prosthetics as one of his many hobbies," Elaine pointed out, "That clear anything up?"
She got a head nod from him when he came to quietly understand what she had to say on the subject. Stopping right before a display window to look at the latest model of a mechanized arm. This model went all the way to the shoulder and had a sleek appearance. He could barely see the gears and wires that made up the inside of the arm.
"In hell, prosthetics limbs like this are made of a combination of magic and whatever material a craftsman uses," Goleon recalls, "A skilled healer or physician usually oversees the whole process from treatment to attachment."
"Sounds like an interesting process." Elaine listened.
"A few knights that have served the House of Morningstar for decades have gone through the process," He recalled, "Each one had a limb replaced at one time or another."
"Can't they replace a limb by regeneration?" Elaine asked.
"Unless the weapon is magically forged or blessed in some way, "Limbs will not grow back or scar like your brother is left behind."
"Come tell me these tales." Elaine wanted him to share.
The rest of her time out with him before they returned to find Konstantin and Serenity were visiting. This was where Elaine got huffy as she marched over to Konstantin. Closed her hand fan into a lightly formed gloved fist and smacked his arm. Then stomped away from him with a fury in her eyes he didn't know she could carry. He then got screeched at by her owl for his perch. Who flew after her with beak snapping and feathers puffing out.
"What did you do?" Serenity asked Konstantin.
"This has to do with the last case you worked on," Wyatt already guessed, "I told you not to treat her like a damsel in distress."
"I surely have not offended her." Konstantin thought.
"Actually," Goleon replied, "Her behavior is my fault since I spoke of prosthetics as being in hell while speaking about her brother's scars."
This was where Wyatt sighed when attention was shifted from Konstantin in trouble with Elaine. To what laid under Wyatt's clothing in the form of his maimed skin. Hepzibah and Corbeau helped Goleon with the bags and boxes Elaine gathered. Some were for the bar in the form of supplies she picked up. Others were personal items for her family and even their visitors.
"I think this for you?" Corbeau set a parcel down, "I think it's a magical relic."
Teen pulled away to help his cousin take a few things up stairs as Serenity looked at Wyatt. This amused expression on her face over sight she'd only seen. First time she traced her finger over his scars was a special memory. It happened after they first got physical as a couple one night. They were winding down from a morally questionable case. One touch in an intimate way turned to them slowly undressing in an exploring manner. Wyatt's scars and story of how he almost lost his arm was shared.
"Can you stop that?" Wyatt knew where Serenity was staring, "I get you like me when I am shirtless, but not now."
"Stop what?" She teased.
"Admiring him like a piece of butchered meat." Konstantin got up from his seat.
Wyatt tried to not laugh when Serenity was told to stop giving him bedroom eyes. Her mouth was hanging open like she was a fish gasping for air. As Konstantin walked off in the direction Elaine had taken up the stairs. He took his parcel with him when he went in search of her. He didn't have to travel far when he found her in a private lounge. Already changed into her shawl with one of her books in her lap. Cobalt coloring of her eyes and chill in the room when he began to see his breath. He was careful where he treads when he entered with her owl leering at him.
"Miss. Bloodsaw?" Konstantin called her.
"Why do you not speak of your home?" Her question caught him off Guard, "I know until now, you had Serenity to share your memories with …. "
Her slamming her book shut was enough to tell him how cross she was over this. Her owl further chirped while fidgeting in place with wings flapping. Figuring she felt he hadn't come to fully trust her like he has Serenity. Despite the few cases the two had worked beside their other acquaintances. Some had her angry as the very people involved and why things played out.
"I am still coming to know who I can trust," He looked at the parcel in his gloved hand, "I didn't mean to overlook you after what I shared so far."
She watched him open her parcel and find a golden apple shaped tie pin inside.
8*8
Dera ended up requesting Konstantin's company to meet with her father. She didn't know the reasons why her father wanted to see the famed detective. He brought Wyatt and Serenity along with him with Elaine being encouraged to stay at the bar. Didn't really bother her when shecwas running shift that night when her brother was away.
Spot of trouble turned up during happy hour with a few human costumes. They were harranessing Hephzibah when she was clearing off a table. Who didn't take no for an answer when they rejected them the first time round. To only display the speed and strength of a vampire to stop her. Repeating they're question in a rather forceful manner with teeth bared.
"Gentlemen?" Elaine approached them.
Sight of her taking on dark cobalt hue with vertical, seafoam white slits forming. Feeling of heavy seawater entering their lungs and weightless sensation of being in water. Didn't take place for the trio becoming unable to walk or catch their breath. She was backed by Vones and Awara standing beside her ready to defend with ears laying back.
"See yourselves out." She looked toward the door.
They would have if one didn't form at the mouth and collapsed to the floor. Teetering in place with his eyes becoming bloodshot and babbling in tongues. Took one last breath before he keeled over right before her as his friends fled. Leaving her go through the proper channels to report the death and have body removed. Left police to make their usual rounds as Morgurian picked up the body.
"Black crystal?" Elaine and Clocca were told.
"A potent and illegal drug created from crystallized vampire blood," Detective Coel informed them, "When ingested by humans, they experience the effects of Euphoria and heightened senses."
"Someone is getting ticked off." Clocca tried to not laugh.
Goleon agreed with her about Wyatt and Konstantin were livid by this news from a Dera's dad. Serenity would be more interested in the chemical mixture of this drug.
"I would like copies of the recent deaths related to this drug and whatever forensic findings," Elaine requested, "Anything else you can spare."
She then closed the eyes of the body taken out of the bar after leaving Lilly in their folded arms. Had her going about the rest of shift until close when they clocked up and did their closing duties. Until a box of what she requested was delivered by Lieutenant Cormiuhael. He was greeted by Clocca holding a Campine rooster beside the bartop.
"Do you have a permit for that?" He asked her.
"He's not a pet," Clocca corrected him, "He's my familiar."
"You're a witch?" He looked her over.
"That bother you?" She started to feed her rooster.
"Depends on you being wild or Sylvan?" He was wary of further interacting with her.
"I like you." She leaned toward him.
Goleon got in between them before any further interaction took place by thanking the Lieutenant. Elaine went in to tell him that Clocca had work to do and they had work to do. Didn't stop him from getting winked at by her when he was shown out. Came to an end when the back door was slammed and locked behind him.
"Must you?" Elaine asked Clocca.
"Called getting my kicks where I can," She looked at the box, "This our newest project?"
Got lifted up and carried off by Corbeau while Hepzibah and the hounds following. Left her to work with Goleon and Elaine on closing up before turning in. Where Goleon and her left off the day that Elaine treated upstairs. She found the teens had already sorted the contents of the box for her. She was found reading by her brother, Konstantin and Serenity in a private lounge. Teens were reading Wyatt's medical books on vampires from anatomy to medicine.
"A bit of light reading?" Konstantin asked Elaine.
"Vampire blood mixed with silver," She held up the latest forensic report, "Dried out to make a fine powder."
"Be happy you don't know about the harvesting process." Serenity was still disturbed.
Photos of chairs full of silver laced restraints soaked in layers of dried blood. Hooked up to machines used to remove blood by the liter. Still left a sickening feeling in their guts.
"I witnessed the drug first hand by a trio of fools," Elaine shared, "One suddenly died from symptoms of an overdose."
"Strength and abilities of a vampire, but still human?" Wyatt walked toward her.
"Along with a set of fangs on the upper jaw line." She held up a picture of a mouth.
She shared death reports of each victim needing a break by using the excuse of needing to make tea. Trying to keep her human pupils from shifting like before with the bad s. Just Serenity noticed when Elaine adjusted her shawl as she left the room. Looked to Wyatt for the usual answers when Elaine didn't give them to her.
"How we use our magic," Wyatt shifted his eyes, "Females of our bloodline have the most potent abilities, unlike the males."
"Meaning?" Konstantin looked at Corbeau while Hepzibah.
"We can only do Potion Brewing, Mediumship, and Scrying," Corbeau was stroking Gurt's quills, "Pretty much the basic magical stuff."
"Elaine doesn't like showing that part of herself," Wyatt shifted his eyes back, "Blame her ex."
Konstantin missed out on the telling of the story of Elaine's ex when he walked out. Using his keen hearing to follow the humming of Elaine's voice. Back to the lower areas where the back room where Elaine hid. Watching her lost in song while she stood before a stove with a lit burner. Warm glow of her smile had long since been replaced by sad inhuman eyes. Down went the file he didn't know he still carried with him to approach.
"First time Serenity saw a part of my true face was when a glamour I used cracked on my face," His voice startled Elaine, "She watched from above as I confronted a dying suspect."
"Emotional stress or damage during a case?" She asked about cracked glamour.
He slightly smiled about the ember of curiosity appearing in her eyes that he knew she was feeling better. He ended up helping her prepare the tea for them all as they further chatted. This time around she brought up the shape his shadow always took. Had her pulling out a sketch book she kept hidden from him till now. She pulled from the roll top desk a few feet away to hand over to him once the kettle whistled. Where he got a look at how she interpreted h what she saw each time. Those soul piercing crimson eyes peering out from a humanoid shape. Came with a set of wings out from his back and shadowy tendrils wiggling around.
Left him to then look up and watch her eyes shift back in their human appearance with cobalt ring. This time he reached out toward the hair that covered her other ear. Gently push back strands of her hair to find the upper area of her ear completely sheared off. Leaving behind healed rest as a muimed mess.
"He disliked what he called my ugliest traits," She whispered, "I am lucky I can still hear out of that ear."
"I have never seen anyone as beautiful," He came to coddle the side of her face, "I have passed by many faces
But only got confused in yours. How could One be So beautiful and at the same time elegant and remarkable _It's a taboo to be so…"
All she needed from him to feel better for those few seconds before they focused back on the case. He went on to be allowed to keep a few pages for her sketchbook. As he picked the file back up while following her back to where they left Wyatt and Serenity. Who had already gone over the copied files Elaine reviewed in a short time. Along with findings on where this drug was being distributed from Dera's father.
"How well is your use in combat related magic?" Konstantin asked Elaine.
"How much do you know about flooding of market street a few years back?" She asked him.
"Where that hidden opium den was trashed?" Serenity recalled, "That was you two?"
"More my sister than me," Wyatt smiled at the memory, "I was there to pick up a opium supply since I was treating a patient at the time."
"I don't take kindly to being mistaken for a … whore …" Elaine huffed.
Details of that story was a hidden den where opium and drugs were being done on a local market street. Wyatt left his sister alone for a few minutes outside before the place flooded.
"You're attracted to a natural disaster." Serenity looked from Elaine to Konstantin.
Wyatt wrapped an arm around Serenity's waist and pulled her toward him to mildy kiss her. Upon her check before acting as a second set of eyes for her. A strange habitbthe two formed over last few months when close together. Elaine thought it was cute while Konstantin thought it was bothersome.
8*8
Feeling of betrayal within the vampire community after the drug case came to an end. Finding out one of your own was killing her own kind for a quick buck. Not caring they were killing off both humans and vampires alike. Angried some while others were just in disbelief they did such a thing. Spread through the supernatural populist like a wildfire after that night. Reached the ears of the ones wasn't new to them after a messy that Elaine sticking a pack ice to Konstantin's head while Wyatt was with Serenity, He was doing a minor repairs after her false hand took a hard slam. Worry over broken mechanisms surfaced during the fight. Why he had his tools for the job at hand until they could see Serenity 's mechanic.
"Better?" Wyatt asked Serenity.
"Yea." She flexed.
"You can sleep over after what happened today?" Elaine offered, "Not everyday my brother puts his certified prosthetic repair training to work."
"Your phone?" Konstantin asked needing to get a hold of Mrs. Richards.
"In the back near desk, " Elaine pointed out, "It's a old rotary dial model."
She was grabbed by the waist and drawn in a tight embrace for a few passing seconds. Konstantin recalled how she knocked out a fully mature vampire in one magical blast. Put a pretty sized hole in them before almost resorting to holy oil and a fireball.
"Something wrong?" Elaine whispered.
"Just processing the side of you." He reached up.
Out of her face he pushed a strand of loose hair recalling cobalt glow of her eyes before they changed. Fury alone in them when she reacted to how they laughed without a care about what they done. Which faded into a sorrow for the souls that suffered by their hand and their families.