Why Vampires Sleep With The Lights On

The Implication...

I had made my way back to the surface with the help of the magical elevator in Victoria's living room and as I walked through to Moonstone Park to find Grace, the cold December air nipped at my nose.

There was so much to contemplate that I was really kinda happy for the walk. Everything I had seen in Kian's memories was still front and centre of my thoughts.

How the fuck could it not be?

Even though Kaicius had been behind the Ripper murders, he had used Kian to commit them. I had no bloody idea what to think about it all.

Kian hadn't really considered the consequences of his actions when he agreed to host the demon. Shit, he must feel so bad about that decision...

Of course, it wasn't his fault. I knew that! But, the empty, guilty feeling in the pit of my stomach didn't help. He had no one back then. He had been all alone with nobody to understand him or help him cope with his abilities.

At least I'd had him...

Yeah, there was no bloody way that I could have coped with becoming a werewolf without Kian being by my side. He had stood by me, and now it was my turn to repay the favour as best I could.

I turned into the forest, onto the overgrown path that led to Moonstone Park. The pathway was even more overgrown than usual, and the ground underneath the thick clumps of nettles was full of mud after the recent bout of rain.

The route was hard work. The nettles stung like a bitch through my jeans, but eventually, I reached the park.

As I finally reached the edge of the tree line I could see straight through into the park, but I was surprised to see that a lonely figure was sitting on the swing set waiting.

As I finally reached the edge of the tree line I could see straight through into the park, but I was surprised to see that a lonely figure was sitting on the swing set waiting.

Micheal sat on the swing facing me, his blue eyes watched as I hopped over the fence into the playground.

"You're back then?" I asked as I finally reached him.

"I am," Michael replied "Heaven is in disarray, Alec. Something is coming."

Well, speak in fucking riddles, why don't you?

"What do you mean by 'something'?"

"We don't know." He replied, "Our best people are working on it, but this is power like we've never seen before."

Great! Fucking great! Just another bloody problem to add to the list!

"I tried to connect with you back in that office, but you weren't there."

"No, we had to leave pretty sharpish. The Church Guards were on to us."

"Did you get the demon's name?" Micheal asked then as he absentmindedly toyed with the chain of the swing.

"Yeah, it's Kaicius."

For a brief moment, a dark look crossed Michael's face, before he calmly replaced it with a smile.

What the fuck was that?

"Well, that's good news at least."

"Yeah," I replied "I'm here to try and connect with a friend of Kian's. He should be able to help us get rid of Kaicius completely."

As I spoke a load of the dead leaves that littered the ground spun into a weird sort of tunnel. As it died down the transparent form of Grace was standing and smiling at me. Her pigtails and blood-spattered school uniform were at odds with her grin.

"Alec!"

She flew over to us and then just hovered while staring at Micheal.

"He's new." Grace said, her, nose scrunching up as he looked Michael up and down "And different. You're not from around here."

"I should think not." Michael replied, "My place is in Heaven, not down here on Earth."

"Heaven?" Grace asked, "Are you an angel?"

"Indeed, I am."

Way to get sidetracked...

"Grace, I actually came here to ask you a favour. My friend, Kian, is in trouble and I need to talk to somebody on the other side." I explained, "Is that possible?"

For a moment Grace didn't answer, she seemed to ponder the question while still making eyes at Michael.

"I can try." she finally replied "Who do you need to talk to?"

"A former Hunter, his name is Wesley Stiles," I said.

Without another word, Grace faded away leaving me and Micheal staring at the empty spot she had just occupied. I just bloody hoped that she could help us connect with Wesley. We needed a win here, and I needed to get Kian back to full capacity.

"I'm not sure that this is a good idea, Alec," Michael said "Raising a soul from eternal rest is not to be taken lightly. The implication alone..."

What the hell is on about?

"What implication?"

"Well, necromancy is the blackest of the Dark Arts," Michael replied "Are you sure that you want to walk this path, Alec?"

Well, it's not like I'm raising an army of the dead to do my bidding... although that does sound pretty cool.

"All I'm doing is trying to find out how to get Kaicius out of Kian and back down into hell where he belongs."

Michael never got a chance to reply as with a swirl of leaves and dirt Grace was back, and she wasn't alone. Next to her stood Wesley, he wore the same long black coat and stetson that he had when he died, and even though he was see-through my eyes were drawn to the large bloodstain that covered his chest.

"Wesley..." My voice caught in my throat as I looked at him and I could feel tears burning my eyes.

Shit, I don't know if I can do this...

"Alec!" He smiled "How are things?"

"We don't have long," Grace said "I'm not sure how long I can keep his soul on this plane."

"What's going on?" Wesley asked looking around at us in confusion.

"It's about Kian," I replied "And Kaicius, he's back."

"Ah, I see," Wesley said.

"You helped him last time Kaicius took control, right?" I asked, "You found a way for him to control it?"

"We did," Wesley nodded "But, it wasn't easy. I had been sent to investigate by the Council after two bodies were found ripped apart in a dumpster outside the cinema. The scene was a mess but there was evidence left behind, one of Kian's hairs, so I tracked him down and confronted him... that's when I realised he was possessed."

"How?"

"Well, Kaicius managed to trap me in an old barn about a mile out of town, he kept me out there for four days... tortured me. Then on the fifth day, I woke up and I could tell that something was different about him. Kian untied me and explained everything about Kaicius and how he struggled to control the demon. I had a contract underground who dealt with these kinds of things... he offered me mates rates on an exorcism. By the sound of it, he did us over."

"You think?" Grace snorted.

"Who did the exorcism?" I asked.

"Ronnie Roper," Wesley replied with a sigh as his image began to fade away "He runs the R&R club. Kian will know how to find him."

Then I blinked and he was gone, all that was left was Grace who was hovering around with a smile on her face looking proud of herself and Michael who was currently staring at me, his piercing blue eyes burning daggers into me.