Nephalim

Act 1: Epilogue

We searched the house of Dracula for hours after the Ulfhednar left. We left no stone unturned, no note unread, but we found nothing that would lead us to the Prince of the Night. All that we could find was more of Heinrik's work, that of vampires impaled to the walls, we showed them mercy with bullets made of silver.

After our failed search, we made our way out of the house and back onto the streets of the darkened City. It was well passed midnight, yet, due to the creatures of the night, it was still busy.

"What shall we do now?" asked Borin.

"What do you mean Kar'Daki?" I said.

"Well, Dracula has flown the coop, Nosferatu remains silent, and Gods know where Alucard makes his nest. We have as many clues as the Drow have love for gems. None."

I grunted and reached for my flask. It felt light in my hand and I shook it. Empty. Just my fucking luck.

"I need a stiff drink," I said. "Let's just go home and get some rest. Meet me at my office tomorrow and we will come up with a plan."

I didn't wait for a response before walking away, towards my apartment.

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *.

My apartment was a couple blocks away from the CBD. Normally I would catch a cab, but I needed to think. Had to make sense of all this.

First, an Angel was brutally slaughtered and her blood was taken. Then, Dracula fled before anyone could ask him questions. And then there is the prophecy. Is Drac trying to bring on the apocalypse? If so why, and why now? And Borin, he was going to tell me something, but I never gave him the chance.

I sighed. What the fuck did I get myself into this time?

After sometime, I reached my apartment and started to climb the staircase, passing by some of my neighbours. The building, though not the oldest in the City, was still quite old. The faded green wallpaper hung drearily from the stairwell walls, and some of the lights buzzed, indicating it needed to be changed.

On the 7th floor was my office, or rather apartment I used as an office. It was at the end of the hall, whose walls were adorned with the same faded green wallpaper. I stopped at the door to my apartment, and drew my hand cannon.

The door was made of solid wood, with a frosted glass peace in the middle. Inscribed on the glass was: Cain Adamson, P.I. However this familiar sight was not the reason I drew my gun. No, it was the broken lock and the door being slightly ajar is what caused my reaction.

I used my non firing hand to slowly push open the door. I stood there for a second, searching the darkness that laid before me, trying to spot the intruder. I took a step inside and flicked on the light.

I sighed with relief. Everything was as it was when I left in the morning to start this cursed case. I closed the door as best as I could before sitting at my desk. I opened the drawer to grab my evening libations and gasped.

Right next to my bottle of scotch was a note, written on flesh, inked in blood. I warily picked it up to read it:

I FOUND YOU, BROTHER

I placed it on the table in front of me. Questions flowing through my mind like water over a cliff. Who wrote this? Who's flesh is this? Why? And most importantly: Who thinks me their brother?

As far as I am aware, I was the only Nephalim in all creation. Abandoned at that as well. My mother wanted nothing to do with me after my birth, and my father? Well, I never met the bastard. Hell, I'm not even sure which was the Angel and which was the Demon.

There was a small knock on my door. I quickly stashed the note before saying: "Come in."

The door opened, and there stood a tall woman with blonde hair, green eyes, and dressed in a bath robe. "Cain," she said.

"Madam Bordeaux," I said, "to what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Complaints, Mr Adamson, and a fair few."

I sighed. "What now?"

"Well for starters, the visitors. They just waltz up and down the halls like they own the place. I understand that the police are the law, but they didn't have to be rude to the other tenants, knocking on their doors, demanding to know where you are."

I raised my eyebrow curiously.

"Then, you have that Gods awful stentch coming from in here, that we can smell on the 8th floor. Oh and the noise from your radio programs, especially those blasted murder mysteries! We could hear the screaming all over the building!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes!"

"And this all happened when?"

"Don't play coy with me, Nephalim. It was earlier in the evening, before sunset."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a cigarette. I lit it and took a puff.

"Well?" the land lady demanded.

"Well what?"

"What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Seems to me that you are barking up the wrong tree. Sure, those assholes might have been looking for me, but I have been so caught up in work that I only just got home. Also, I supposed you didn't notice that somebody had broken in here."

She folded her arms. "Well I assumed your Golem friend was a bit rough when he closed the door."

"Golem?"

"Did I stutter? Of course a Golem, and a shoddily made one at that! Left tracks all up and down th-"

"Madam Bordeaux, I do not have a Golem friend. In fact I do not have any friends what do ever. I do however have a long list of enemies as well as those who wish to hinder my work."

"By the Gods... Who the bloody fuck did you piss off this time, eh?"

"Knowing my luck, Thoum himself."

The land lady sighed, then stomped her tiny gnomish feet. "You are lucky I like you, Cain. I'll wake up the Maintenance Mage and get him to put a rune of protection on your door, but no more late night battles of good and evil!"

I nodded politely, "Yes ma'am."

As she walked back out of my apartment and back to hers, I could faintly hear her yell: "Fergus, ya fat lazy cunt, get your ass up and do your fucking job!"