Upon waking up, I’m surprised to find myself still in yesterday’s clothes. I must have fallen asleep in the process of taking off my shoes. Looking down, I change it to shoe, as I still have one on, though at least my laces are undone.
Dragging myself up from my bed, I half land on the floor. Since I’m down there, I decide to remove my other shoe. Clambering to my feet, I scramble into the bathroom for my morning routine. Once washed and dressed, I collect my keys and shoes, and head downstairs. Coming to an abrupt halt, I stare in awe.
Jasmine is halfway between human and animal form. Letting out an involuntary gasp, I startle her and disrupt the transformation. Giving an exhausted whine, she returns to her dog shape. Bending down to scratch her behind her ears, I give her a quick hug.
“You almost changed back. I’m so sorry…I was shocked and disturbed by your change…I’m so sorry,” I stammer, my words running into one another.
With a huff and a gentle nudge, she heads toward her empty bowl and gives me another look as if to say, “Where’s my food?”
Quickly removing yesterday’s bowls, I fill two clean ones with fresh water and food. Leaving her to eat, I enter the kitchen to make my breakfast. Selecting a bowl, I add cereal and milk, make coffee, and sit down to enjoy. After finishing, I grab a banana and munch while finishing my drink.
I phone the surveyor to find out when he’s coming, but I’m left frustrated, as I can’t get hold of him. All I want is to buy the house and move into it. I decide to get my run in, as I need it badly.
Decision made, I return upstairs to change and collect my camera. Slipping the camera into my left pocket, I call Jasmine, lock the front door, and put my keys in my right pocket. Slowly we start jogging toward the woods behind the house. Once in the woods we start to run.
I love running, the feel of the wind in my face, dodging low-hanging branches, the snap of twigs and the pounding of my feet, my heart rate increasing and all worries slipping away, as if cobwebs swept aside by a gentle hand.
Liberating, calming, and peaceful. I carry on running, until I finally arrive on the other side of the woods. The view from the top of the cliffs is magnificent. The sea like a heartbeat I can visibly see, pulsing against the bottom of the cliffs before retreating.
Carefully descending to a ledge about halfway down the cliff, we sit just relaxing, as our breathing becomes even. Taking my camera, I snap a couple of photos of the general view and some more of the waves crashing against the jagged rocks below. Spotting a gray heron flying overhead, I capture some photos of him.
For such a lanky bird, they are extremely elegant.
With a contented smile, I head back up to the edge of the trees. Putting my camera away, I take a final look at the glorious scenery, before retreating back into the woods, this time slower, taking photos of the surrounding greenery, of squirrels running up the trees and eating nuts, and birds washing themselves in a puddle left over from the rain. The sunlight changing direction in the trees makes me realize how long we’ve been out. I suddenly notice I’m hungry, so we head back to the house.
****
On arriving back, I knock my trainers against the side of the wall to rid them of clinging mud. Unlocking the door, I remove them, before climbing upstairs to put them away. Taking my camera from my jacket, I place it carefully on my desk, and then I put away my jacket.
Selecting fresh clothes, I enter the bathroom for a quick shower to freshen up. Dumping my dirty clothes into the laundry basket, I switch on the shower and climb in. With a happy groan, I let the hot spray beat down on me, my muscles relaxing under the steady pressure washing off the sweat from my run. Finally, I dry myself before cleaning the shower and adding my towel to the laundry.
Crossing to my dressing table, I apply moisturizer and brush my hair, then picking up my mobile, I shove it into my jeans pocket, collect my laundry basket, and head downstairs to put in a load of washing. I feed Jasmine, who’s gently snoring, and make a quick sandwich and a glass of water for myself. Entering the sitting room, I eat in front of the TV while channel flicking.
Finding a murder mystery, I devour my ham salad sandwich. It’s only after cleaning my dishes I think to check my phone for any news from the surveyor. To my surprise, I have four missed calls from Detective Kheda McKnight, one from the surveyor, and one from an unknown number.
I listen first to the surveyor’s message and am delighted. It’s good news. Everything’s fine, thankfully the only work needed is what I’d noticed myself. I ring my solicitor to arrange for signing the property deeds on Friday at two p.m. and the closing the following week.
Feeling frustrated as Friday is three days away, and I’m expected to wait another week! I demand to know why we can’t do the closing and signing on Friday. Hello, cash buyer, why the delay? He informs me he’ll contact the seller’s solicitors and get back to me. Apparently they hadn’t realized I was paying in cash.
Next, I listen to Detective Kheda’s messages. With each message, he’s obviously getting more and more pissed off at not being able to contact me. Quickly, I phone him back.
“I’ve been trying to get in touch with you all morning. Where have you been?” Kheda testily demands.
“Hello to you too, Detective. Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, but I’ve only just checked my messages. Now how can I help you?” I politely ask.
“I need your help; I need to go back to the murder scene and…”
“Don’t tell me, you a werewolf, can’t find the crime scene?” I jokingly interrupt him.
“With the crime scene on witches’ land, I can’t enter unless escorted by a witch, which as I explained to you yesterday, is why normally a witch detective would be solving the murder, and why it took me so long to get there. I had to be sure that I was the only detective available and that a witch was staying to meet me,” Kheda replies with obvious frustration.
“What? That’s ridiculous, you’re trying to solve a murder, not hunt witches for dinner! Look, meet me at the edge of the woods where we met yesterday.” How stupid! Now I understand why it had taken so long for him to arrive yesterday. I feel a little guilty for being so snarky. Not much, but a little.
“How soon can you be there?” Kheda asks with relief in his voice.
“Two minutes.”
“Make it ten, and thank you.”
“No problem, Detective, see you then.
My final message turns out to be from Victor Harlow, vampire most scrumptious. Hearing his rich as velvet voice vibrating down the phone line, I feel my stomach muscles tighten and my toes curl.
“Hello, Candi, this is Victor Harlow. I need you to meet me today at one p.m. on the East Bridge please. Until then, have a nice afternoon.”
A shiver of desire ripples through my body as his voice washes over me like a waterfall of decadence, just begging me to come out and play. Until then, I parrot. I haven’t even agreed to meet him. Well, at least he said please, I think as I save his number in my phone. I quickly switch off the TV and hurry upstairs to put back on my trainers and jacket and collect my camera and keys.
****
Switching my SD card over, I secure my card in the secret drawer in my desk. Work photos are just too damned important to misplace. Running downstairs, I explain to Jasmine what’s going on as I lock up behind us. I drive the short distance as quickly as possible so I won’t keep Detective McKnight waiting.
Two minutes later, we sit waiting for the detective to turn up. With her nose pressed up against the window, Jasmine leaves a wet smudge on the glass, as her breath fogs the windowpane.
“You really like him, huh?” I ask.
With a sigh, she turns around and looks at me, and for the first time in a long time, I see her human side just under her fur. Today’s the closest I’ve seen her return to her human form. I feel a jolt of excitement ripple through me, the thought of having my friend back completely making me happy.
“I miss you,” I suddenly blurt out.
Giving me a sad look, she puts her head on my shoulder and sneezes on me.
“Ewww, that’s gross.” I laugh, thankful no snot landed on me. “Ah, this could be him.” I nod toward a car coming toward us. As he parks, we clamber out of the car and cross over to join him.
“Thank you so much for coming, ladies,” Kheda says, gratitude lacing his voice.
“No problem, Detective. Shall we head in?”
Walking in, stillness descends upon us, and the scent of the woods becomes almost alive. The moss on the trees, mud, and disintegrating underbrush, rainwater dripping through leaves, and a brook babbling on its merry journey nearby, all seem to tell a story of life and death. The three of us carry on toward our destination, while something scuttles past nearby.
The farther we head toward the crime scene, the closer we move toward each other. I’m plastered to Jasmine’s side, and she in turn is plastered to Detective Kheda’s, and none of us mind the contact.
“So what are we doing here?” I whisper.
“I need to see the area without the body and to see if I can trace where the killer came from and went. It’s routine follow-up,” Kheda whispers back.
“Okay, but I gotta say this is seriously creepy.”
“Woof,” Jasmine barks in agreement.
****
Reaching the crime scene quiet surrounds us. As if every living thing is holding its breath, not even the birds ruffle their feathers. At first, it looks as if a tornado has descended upon the area. Boot prints and broken branches are scattered about the place. None of this destruction was present when I’d taken the photos and going by the gasp of anger from the detective it must have occurred after he had left as well.
“Bloody hell, what the, ahhhh, I’m going to kill someone,” Kheda growls, grinding his teeth, in obvious frustration.
“I might be able to try something. Take my camera and keep taking photos if anything happens,” I instruct him as I set my camera up for him to use before passing it to him. I kneel in the mud.
“Try what? What are you doing? Look, Candi, get up, you’re messing up an already destroyed crime scene,” Kheda snarls in annoyance.
“Step back, keep quiet, and do not under any circumstances touch me. Jasmine, please make sure he stays back.”
Immediately she starts to round Detective Kheda back a safe distance, growling in warning when he tries to object. She’ll make sure I’m not disturbed while I’m practicing magick.
****
Sitting cross-legged on the ground with my hands resting palms upward on my knees, I clear all thoughts from my head and take a deep breath. Feeling it expand my lungs, I let it out and take an even deeper breath, focusing on what has taken place here. Releasing the breath, I think of how I’d found the dead man. Dragging in another breath, I hold it and demand to see what happened.
“Hecate, Goddess of darkness and the crossroads, please hear my cry. Help us see the past just gone. Crone, mother and child, I beseech you. Help us see so we may deliver justice to the wronged, so they may find peace in the afterlife,” I call, allowing my voice to fill with power.
“This isn’t going to work,” Kheda mutters quietly, to which he gets a growl for his trouble.
The wind picks up and starts swirling in front of me, as if a mini tornado has decided to pop in. I hear Kheda give a startled gasp and sense he’s just about to move forward as if to grab me out of harm’s way. Jasmine blocks his path again, this time baring her teeth at him in a very clear threat.
A shadow-like mist of a woman with two huge black dogs appears in the middle of the mini tornado. I notice Kheda stumble back as he stares in shock at the sight before him. As the tornado calms, the clearer the woman and dogs become until they are all that is left.
“Daughter of mine, you may rise and come forward,” Hecate instructs with power in every word, but a gentle smile playing across her mouth.
Gracefully rising to my feet, I move forwards.
Cupping my hands together, my right palm in my left hand, I place my hands over my heart and bow my head in respect to my Goddess.
“Thank you, Goddess Hecate, for answering my plea.” When dealing with Goddesses, it is best to always keep it simple and to the point.
“My child, as always you ask for others not yourself, so I shall grant you your request, but only if you join the quest to find the murderers of my sons and daughters. Do you accept?”
“I accept.”
“And you daughter and son of mine, do you accept this quest for justice, a quest much bigger than you can ever imagine, do you accept?”
“Yes,” Kheda answers, determination lacing his words.
Jasmine shimmers, her hind legs elongating and her body stretching, until she transforms back into her human self. With a gasp, she comes forwards on shaky legs, her long jet-black hair rippling down her back, a few wisps falling over her shoulders and covering her naked breasts as she bows deeply.
“I accept, Goddess,” she answers, her voice hoarse from lack of use.
“And what of you, vampire, do you accept this quest?” Hecate asks, her voice carrying through the woods, to the East Bridge where Victor stands waiting for me to join him. In a blink, Victor stands in front of Hecate. I feel my heart stutter in shock at his abrupt appearance, and notice the others flinch in surprise.
“I also accept, my Goddess,” answers Victor, giving a deep bow his cupped hands placed over his heart.
“Good. You shall find others on your quest who serve me, but you will find more who are serving themselves. Listen to your hearts to know whom to trust, and don’t trust unwisely as it’s not just your lives on the line, but the souls of those gone before you and those to come. Good luck, my children. Be wise in your decisions. Now please stand back so you may see what has come before.” Hecate and her dogs vanish.
No wind, no nothing, just gone. “Holy shit,” whispers Kheda.
“Everyone get back. Detective Kheda, my camera please,” I instruct, my hand stretched out to take it from the detective’s limp grip. “Jasmine, I am so glad you’re back. I have missed you so much. Hey, Victor, sorry I was late but as you can see…Okay, guys, get ready, here it comes,” I call out, finally getting to take a breath. I lift my camera and start snapping photos as images appear in a rush.
****
A form appears, dressed all in black and shrouded in darkness, carrying a large backpack and a man over his shoulder, before unceremoniously dumping him on the ground.
With great care, he starts to arrange the man. Gently sitting him up and leaning him against the tree, he removes his backpack. Lovingly he withdraws a bowie knife, an exceptionally long tube, and a sewing kit. The tube he unfolds, brings one end to the nearby stream and places it in the water, then returns to the man.
He sits and begins talking. He picks up his knife and makes an incision in the man’s skin. Quickly he places the tube in the area he’s cut, and blood flows out of the body, through the tube and into the stream, where it’s washed away. The man twitches, letting out a pitiful cry, so faint only the killer in front of him can hear it, and us, silent witnesses helplessly watching, unable to do anything, as we realize the man is not in fact dead, but dying before our horrified eyes.
As the man’s life slips away, the murderer starts threading his needle, and I realize exactly what he is about to do, just before he reaches for the man’s face.
He forces his gloved fingers into the man’s mouth, pulling one side into a smile and stitching the inside to keep it in position, cutting the excess thread with the tip of his knife before repeating the process.
After finishing, he puts the needle and thread back into his backpack. A sigh escapes the now dead man’s lips, as the last of his blood seeps out of his body and down the tube.
The murderer removes the tube, rolling it up into a neat circle and returns it to his backpack. Finally picking up his knife, he cuts through the man’s body, as easily as cutting through hot butter.
He slips his hands into the man’s torso and with brutal force, rips open his chest. I can hear the breaking of bones so piercingly it’s as if a gun has gone off. Picking up his knife, he carefully removes the dead man’s heart and once again places his knife on the ground.
Holding the heart in both hands, he lifts it as if in an offering before eating it and licking his gloved hands clean. He picks up his knife, slits open the dead man’s stomach, licking his knife clean before putting it in his backpack, and zips it up.
As the intestines spill from the body, he meticulously arranges them about the cadaver, finally crossing the dead man’s arms in front of him, as if he’s trying to hold them in. Picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulders, he calmly walks away, leaving behind the smiling corpse.
Two minutes later, we watch as I come on the scene. I had only just missed him! Time speeds up until all crime scene investigators have finished, everything’s removed and everyone’s gone home.
That is when he comes back, furious the body is gone, screaming in outrage and ripping through the area, destroying everything he can reach, only snapping out of his tantrum when a twig pierces his glove. With a final snarl, he grips the twig and storms off, back the way he came. Leaving behind one tiny drop of blood!