Lethal Beauty

XXXVIII - Bit by Bit

"He showed you this?" Delbert blinked at the photograph Judy handed to him. It appears that a little of her memory came back to her and she did recall speaking to one of the agents in Sweden named Stell. "Why did he tell you this and refuse to tell me anything?"

"They didn't plan on telling anyone." She explained, "They were planning to hold this information because they were looking for information from us too."

"And you remember this suddenly now?"

"I didn't know what I remember, okay? I feel like I've told him more but...I can't remember."

Delbert gave her a reproachful glance. "You are too trusting."

Her expression turned cold. "Instead of scolding me, why don't you focus your attention on the information you have in your hands," she pointed at the photo of the woman's skin. "Saint Constantine signed JMR."

The older detective turned away from her and gazed at the photo long and hard. He pulled out that piece of paper they found in Dr. Harris' hand with the hidden message. Who the hell are you, JMR? Most importantly, why Saint Constantine?

"That university was founded in 1303," Judy spoke and he looked at her over his shoulder. "One of the oldest vampire establishments in the world. It must have a history and hold secrets related to the project Dr. Harris and the others were working on. Something triggered them to hide, to scatter, to turn their lives around as if nothing happened. This JMR, whoever they are, might be supplying them information..."

"Or threatening them," he moved across the room and glanced outside the window. Downstairs the gathering was not over. Speeches were made and alliances were sealed. None of the members of the House of Elders attended. As far as he was concerned. Yet, somehow, he felt a sense of foreboding. "Did you tell him that we managed to ID the victims?"

Judy blinked, startled by the question but puzzled all the same. Did she? Why did her memory of the conversation she had with that person seem blurry? "I don't think I did..." she muttered more to herself, but it was hard by the other loud and clear.

This time, he looked at her. "In that case, what did you give him in return?"

She met her gaze. Stunned. Judy quickly realized that the person she was speaking with earlier, may not have been human at all...

⛧☾༺♰༻☽⛧

Built in the dry-stone traditional, a mortarless construction with whitewashed walls and corbelled roofs. Like the similar neighboring houses, Abel's grandmother's house had an interesting shape and a sight that was a curiosity for many.

"Nonna?" He called from the outside. It was unusual, really. Abel recalled his grandmother's love for Italian music and how noisy it would be in the morning.

Unlike him, the moment they stepped closer to the land, the vampires smelled it before they could sense it. Strong. Metallic...the smell of blood.

The smell of death.

Iris grabbed him by the wrist before he could even push the door open. "What's wrong?" The man's eyes were in normal color right now but Abel could feel the intensity beneath it. "What's wrong?" Abel repeated.

"When was the last time you spoke with your grandmother?"

It took a few seconds before Abel could answer that, even then, his gaze flickered past Iris to Milo and Lexus who were standing behind him. "A few weeks ago. Nothing happened to her."

This wasn't a question. More like the power of convincing himself more than convincing his companions. Abel ignored the warning bells or the fact that the people he was with were vampires with all their five senses intact and functioning better than any human.