And Also With You ~The Tooth And Claw Books #3

Chapter Six: Investigations

----- April 17th, 2010 -----

Jasmine had booked herself a flight and accounting for time difference she'd be arriving there in a few hours, she'd have Josi with her as an armed escort. But Josi was all we could get, they'd allowed us one escort and one escort alone, even then she was only allowed to take her as far as London. Once she got there she was on her own until she reached Suredale. As for why Josi had volunteered, she knew I wouldn't have the strength to leave her at the airport, and so had said she'd  take her and make sure that she got there safely. Right now the rest of us were on a mission. As for where that was, well it was in Beijing. A series of murder's had happened, throats torn out, and the bodies half eaten. Typically we'd send an Investigative-Operative in first, before dispatching a Combat-Operative, however I needed the distraction. 

We walked up to the latest crime scene, well me, Anna and Samuel did. Akio was still in the car we'd borrowed from the local Custodies Veritas office, she after all only looked like she was sixteen, and we could get away with me being here, I was after all twenty, but someone who looked sixteen not so much.  It was raining, which did little to hide the smell of fresh blood.  I couldn't see the body yet, but both me and Anna could smell it, it took all we had to contain our hunger. There were three officers gathered around the cordoned off area, with the body currently covered by a white sheet.

 "Shéi gěi tiānzhǔjiào huì dǎ diànhuà?" The cop in charge growled out. 

"For the record I speak Chines, it's not great but I speak it." I replied. "And we were called her to consult on your serial killer."

"And what exactly can the Catholic church do to help us?" The officer in charge spoke, his English not terrible, but his accent was clear.

"Given the nature of the killings it seems like you have someone who thinks they are a vampire. Your superiors thought you could use our expertise." Anna replied in near perfect Chines.

"Really what are you Qū mó rén?" He spoke almost laughing.

"Yes we are exorcists." Samuel spoke, sniffing the air trying to catch the scent 

He just shook his head, clearly not believing the words that left our mouths and just threw his his hands up. He let out a series of curses before saying.

"Your the reason the body hasn't been collected yet I take it?" He snapped angrily, and after we nodded he growled, in Chines I might add. "You mess up my crime scene and I swear I fucking have your jobs." 

At that we walked under the crime scene tape, being sure to get ourselves gloves from the forensic guys bag before stepping through. With the rain coming down as hard as it was there wasn't much evidence left, it would have washed most of it away, including the scent of the attacker. Although they had a tent over the body now. I shook my hair out instinctively, glad I was in human form so wouldn't have to deal with rain in my hair. 

I carefully lifted the sheet, and could instantly tell this was no Vampire. A Vampire wouldn't have done this much damage to the throat, they'd have just drained their victim of blood not torn the throat out like that, it had practically been eaten away, the head only still attached to the body by the bones in the neck, the body having only been drained of blood due to the sheer trauma of the injury. There was clear signs of a struggle, judging by the way the woman's arms were crushed, bone and blood mixing into a fine paste on each arm, along with the chest which had been caved in. What ever did this did it with their bare hands.  Then there was the other injury, a burn mark on each leg that was the clear sign of magic, the burns were too perfect to be otherwise. 

"No Vampire could do that," Anna spoke seeing the burn marks. "As much as their attack want's us to believe that by going for the throat."

"Agreed," Samuel spoke, I tried to ignore the fact that even in human form he smelled like a wet dog and continued my investigation.