Absolutley Demonic

New Blood

As Jin and I made our way to the mourge, we were stopped by children giving newspapers.

"Hey, lady! Another old person died! Another one died!" I snatched the paper out of the child's hand and skimmed over it.

"Hey! Thats ten pounds! Pay up!" I threw the cash at the child and ran to the mourge as fast as I could.

I slammed the door open and ran inside. The sight that followed was horrific.

Elaine was on the floor, her throat slit and mouth in the form of a terrifying scream. I grit my teeth as the scent of blood hit my nose. Harold was sitting in the corner, crying and repeating his jibberish. He was covered in blood, supposedly from trying to revive his mother with weak attempts. I knelt down before him and told him my title, hoping to get some answers.

"Please, please.. Find who did this..Please..." He grabbed my arm and started his blubbering again.

"They.. They were here...they killed her..." He rocked back and forth and covered his ears, nearly screaming.

"Go away, go away..!" I stood. Im not getting anywhere with this. 

"Im sorry about my brother. Are you here for....Archibald's bloodwork..?" I turned and saw a small boy, not even thirteen.

"...I am. Did you see anything that happened..?" The child rummaged through some cabinets before finding the bloodwork papers. Handing them to me, he shook his head.

"No, lady. I didnt. I heard a whole bunch, though. Screaming and yelling and all that. I figured that Harold and mum were just arguing again, but apparently not, miss." he said nonchalantly.

"...How are you acting so...casual about this..? Arent you sad, kid..?"

"Not really. Mum didnt like us that much. Harold would act like her when she was young, always saying she can't get no men with a kid around. She was hooking, y'know? She didn't believe in abortion, and she didnt trust the adoption system. She didn't hurt us, she just didn't love us. Cares for us real nice until we can live on our own."

"Oh, really now..?" The child nodded and began scanning the room.

"I heard that she was tryin' to get a strong ol' hook on Archibald. Leavin' when we were asleep and such for the pub. Even though she was old, she still wanted a man." 

"...I see." Elaine was trying to keep dear old Archie to herself. 

"Oi, kid."

"Its Johnny, lady."

"Johnny. May I look at her body, see if theres any evidence? We can find her killer if I get some idea of what happened." Jhonny moved to the side, allowing me to inpect her body thouroughly.

Elaine was killed sloppily, and thats a solid fact. There were several incisions to the wrists and jugular vein, and all done with a small scalpel found next to her body. I snatched a small, thin beaker and collected a blood sample for the doctors to take a look at later, see if there was anything in her system beforehand. The cuts to her throat is not what killed the woman, as I found out when I looked in her mouth. Elaine's tongue was removed, leaving her to choke on her own blood. The backs of her knees were slit, as so she can fall to the ground without much struggle. I could only feel sorry for the poor woman as I looked at her silent, unmoving corpse.

I removed myself from the premises, leaving the Yard to clean up after this mess. 

Something was going on, and I intended to find out why.

"Jin, luv. Would you be a dear and get Archibald and Elaine's information for me? I have an appointment at the pub."

"Of course, my lady." Jin bowed and ran off to the Hall, where records were held on every person in London. 

I made my way to Archibald's pub, and reporters flocked around me, asking me idiotic questions.

"You were there, miss! Did you see what happened to Archibald?"

"Did he look ill, ma'am?"

"Did you kill the guy, lady?" an uproar of chuckles rolled over.

"Ah, dont be silly. This little lady couldnt hurt a fly!" I narrowed my eyes, and proceeded into the pub.

Things were already different. The whole building was already painted anew, and there were new workers already. A small photograph of Archie was hanging over a few empty bottles, with a plaque saying "To the Man who Loved to Drink, And Loved to Love. He will be Missed." I let out a long sigh. Archie didnt drink, and he gave up on love a long time ago. I made my way to the bar, and the new bartender rolled out, his heavy French accent already annoying me to no end. 

"Ah, and what would the beautiful madamoiselle like to drink this evening?" He said, with a nauseating sweetness dripping from his words, like sour honey. 

"....Whiskey, and make it a double. Lemon, also." He gave me a strange stare.

"..No ice..?"

"I dont like my alchohol watered down." 

He raised an eyebrow, and gave me my drink. I paid the usual price, and couldn't even take a sip before I was interuppted.

"Ah..miss..this is not enough. The new prices are doubled, with all the people pouring in with the news of the last bartender's death, God bless the man." I stared harshly, and paid the man, drinking my whiskey slowly. 

"...are you not Archibald's friend..? Nerissa, if I'm correct..?" I nodded, and began biting into the lemon. The sour taste made me want more to drink, so I never pay and only drink half of what I wanted.

People were staring at me when they heard the name "Nerissa". I was not an ignorable person, being next to the queen. A young reporter came up to me and asked me more questions.

"What was his body like, ma'am..? Did he have any unknown injuries?" I simply stared and sighed.

"I would tell you, but thats none of your buisness now, is it? I do suggest you bugger off and let me have my drink now." The reporter shrank away, and left me in peace. Can't just drink my whiskey in actual peace, can I? I gestured to the bartender, intending to ask why the pub was changing so fast.

"After Archibald died, competing pubs were paying hundereds of thousands just to make this a branch of their own pub. At the end, Lauren over there rose up as the heir to the pub." He pointed to Archibalds daughter, who was sitting in the corner of the bar, surveying. Her eyes met mine, and she walked over.

"Aye, didn't you come here the other day?" she asked. I nodded. I told Lauren who I was and why I was here. She seemed saddened when I told her I was investigating her father's death.

"Ahh... You dont believe the stories, do you? About him having a heart attack? I dont either. My father was healthier than a doctor, I do believe."

I chuckled lightly. I knew this all, and it felt good to have someone who agreed with me. 

"I understand. I knew your father for a good while. Helped raise me." Her eyes widened in surprise.

"S...so you're Nerissa? Nerissa Belle? Ive heard so much about you from Father! Are you really the queens right-hand investigator?" I nodded again, smirking at her amazement. She continued to ask questions, so many I couldn't even count. 

"Although I am enjoying our conversation, I must leave. I have to go home and review Archibald's bloodwork and files." I stood, and was almost out the door before Lauren grabbed my sleeve. 

"Before so, I have found something that could be of use to you, miss."

She handed me a rope covered in dried blood. 

"I believe you, miss Nerissa. I think my father was murdered, and this is something that was left behind." She said it in a soft, gentle voice, as so nobody could hear. I nodded my head in thanks and left for home.