Why Vampires Sleep With The Lights On

Chalk And A Single Eye

We took our time to meet up with the others, luckily the bedroom had an ensuite. I caught Kian up on Michael, the odd note that had been left and the body in the paper shop, the boggart and Mr Gray. I thought he was going to throw a fit when I told him about Lucifer's claim on my soul. After that, I decided to omit the part where I had faced Jonathan alone and I had signed up to become a Guide.

That was a sore point that I wasn't ready to discuss with him yet.

Thankfully Kian was way too preoccupied with all the information I had told him to read my mind.

As we eventually walked into the room where Harry Jekyll was staying Victoria was just grinning from ear to ear as she sat in a chair by the top of the bed with her spellbook open in her lap. Michael was stood awkwardly at the end of the bed watching as Jekyll ate from a steaming bowl of what smelled like butternut squash soup with a hint of beef.

"Had a good talk?" Victoria asked as the door shut behind us.

"We did," Kian said with a smile, taking hold of my hand "So, what's the plan to get Kaicius out of me?"

"We need to talk to Ronnie Roper," Victoria said "He definitely didn't perform an exorcism on you, but, I think it was a spell of some kind. Either way, we need to know exactly what he did do.

"If I might interject..." Jekyll cut in "From everything Michael was saying it seems The House Of The Apocalypse is back up and running as well. That seems to be the more pressing issue."

"I agree with the Doctor," Michael said "If they manage to achieve their goal and free Lucifer... there's no telling what chaos that will cause on Earth."

"Kaicius has to be a part of this," I said "He was allowed to take control of Kian and The Church for a reason. I think he knows more about The House Of The Apocalypse than anyone."

"Hang on, what do you mean by 'back up and running'? I asked Jekyll "Do you know them?"

"I used to be a member," Jekyll replied, setting his bowl down on the side table next to the bed "A very long time ago, I was a very naive young rogue back then. We thought we could bring about change."

"Do you think you would know who's behind The House now?" Kian asked.

Jekyll frowned "Apart from one or two members... most were killed," he replied, "Dorian Gray survived, myself and Gabriel Jackson."

I know that bloody name...

"Will Jackson's dad," I said hardly believing what I was hearing.

Oh, shit...

"Yes, I do believe he had young members he adopted into his clan," Jekyll replied "But all of us cut ties and The House was abandoned to the pages of history."

A vampire... a member of The Church

"Alec, do you think Will would know if his dad was running The House?" Victoria asked.

"He might."

And Mr Jackson certainly had the right vibe... what was it Kian had said about them?

They believe that vampires should rule over all other species because of their royal blood...

It wasn't too much of a stretch to think that Mr Jackson could be working for the Devil to achieve his goal of vampire dominance.

"I knew Gabriel," Jekyll said before I could reply "He was passionate, sure, but I don't know..."

"You said it's been years since The House was originally disbanded." I said, "People can change."

"That's true," Jekyll conceded "I certainly did."

"We have to look at this logically then," Victoria said "We have to go to Ronnie Roper and get Kaicius to talk... that's the better option. We can get him out of Kian at the same time and send him back to hell."

It might be the better option but Will could hold the key to finding out who the hell was behind The House Of The Apocalypse and who had been behind the plot to get me turned into a werewolf for my soul.

Gabriel Jackson...

I couldn't shake the bad feeling I got about him. I could absolutely see him trying to release Lucifer if he thought that it would put him another rung up the ladder.

"I'll give Will a text," I said "Get him to meet us at the R&R Club. We can kill two birds with one stone that way."

"Are you prepared for us to talk to Kaicius when we get there?" Michael asked Kian "We need to find out what he knows."

"Sure," Kian said, I squeezed his hand in support.

I hated that he had to go through and relive all the pain of Kaicius and what the bastard had made him do. If we had any other options... but we didn't.

"So, Kian, the R&R Club before, do you remember where it is?" Victoria said.

"I do," Kian replied "It's hidden by a magical barrier and you can only get in with an invitation... unless of course, you know someone who's been there before. Do you have any chalk to hand?"

"Of course I do," Victoria replied getting up and reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small white chalk writing pen.

Kian took the chalk from her and then walked over to a blank bit of wall and began to draw. He started with a large square as big as the doorway then he drew a triangle in the centre and finished it with a line going straight across and through the centre of the triangle. As he finished the whole thing lit up on the wall with a bright red light. Kian then knocked three times on the wall.

"I hope this works now."

The now glowing triangle in the middle slid slowly inwards showing darkness beyond. I could hear loud rock music playing in the room beyond. Then a single large yellow eye appeared in the gap.

"Password?" A gruff voice asked.

"Fiddlesticks," Kian replied confidently.

The eye blinked and then the entire section of the wall where Kian had drawn the doorway swung open. The music suddenly sounded louder and I saw flashing red lights inside breaking up the darkness.

"All ready?" Kian asked, turning to us and flashing his fangs in a smile.

"I'll keep an eye on things this end," Jekyll said as we all headed over to the doorway "Good luck."

Kian led the way inside, followed by Michael, then Victoria. I went last, nodding a silent goodbye to Jekyll before I followed them.