The cold

The eleventh death

Margie Maggie Dale Inn was standing among the crowd, watching them look at her art in horror. She didn't do it because she was stupid, she knew they couldn't catch her,they wouldn't be looking for the killer here because they wouldn't expect the killer to still be around and it wasn't like she didn't have any allies for she had quite a few, like minded people who had come together with similar goals. It gave her a rush to see people cower in fear and cringe at what she'd done. Henrietta was lying in the middle of the crowd, in a pool of her own blood and filth, her face not quite recognizable with the deep tears and burns, her limbs lay next to her, severed from her body. Of course all this wasn't a part of petty revenge no more, despite the fact that Maggie didn't like Henrietta much, she was merely preparation for something bigger, a little drop in a pool.

Maggie looked up to see a boy and a woman coming towards the crowd, the woman's face quite familiar, ah, must be the daughter of the family her love killed, quite a shame there were survivors. The woman's face didn't show the usual fear that she saw in the eyes of others and this irked her. It irked her that the woman didn't appreciate her handiwork, that the woman looked at it like it was something ordinary. The boy though, what a pleasant surprise! a fellow blood fey! She watched as the boy interacted with the woman, miffed. It almost looked like the woman was in charge, which was rather silly, she might be powerful but he was blood. She wondered if the boy could be of use to her. In time probably, the boy had no reason not to join her.

She looked back at Henrietta in longing. She enjoyed killing her far too much, she had put up quite a good fight in the beginning and when she knew she didn't stand a chance she begged for her life like a pathetic worm. It was just too bad, she should have kept fighting, she died a dishonorable pathetic death. She walked casually away from the place, chuckling when she passed a few humans who were fearing the return of Jack The Ripper.

She'd felt insulted when they compared her with Jack, he was merely a child throwing a big tantrum at the bad card the world dealt him with. He wasn't even a powerful fey, the only reason he could kill someone was because he targeted humans and he was far too weak now to even kill a human, rotting away in Taroth. She was after all on a class of her own and no one would ever catch her, at least not until she wanted them to.

Neil stared at the sight before him horrified. It was the first time he had seen one of the murders and it was every bit as scary as the rumors, which he had thought was merely an exaggeration of the truth. He felt the presence of something really dark around the dead lady , something really sinister. He shuddered involuntarily, pulling at Nerezza's sleeve, wanting to get out of the place before he puked. They continued the walk towards Neil's favorite cafe, the mood completely gone by now. While they were walking towards the cafe, Neil bumped into a woman, after which he apologized profusely. The woman looked at Neil in a way that honestly creeped him out, having a rather loony smile on her face before she went on her way. Nerezza pulled Neil closer to her, staring at her back as she left, not quite letting go till the woman was out of their sight. "That was a blood fey, no one I've seen before but we must nevertheless inform Damien when we head back." Nerezza said, as they continued walking towards lovehearts.  

Neil had liked Lovehearts since he was a child. It was a small, near empty cafe just opposite in location to the town's local library, which Neil had to visit often when he was a kid, he used to skip towards the cafe book in hand and read the books with a hot chocolate and some of Mrs.Maybelles amazing brownies. Mrs.Maybelle was someone who always remained the same as far as Neil was concerned, with a homely wrinkled face and a plump figure, always mothering the customers. She probably made the best brownies in the world, her brownies tasting like chocolaty heaven.

It had been a while since he had last gone there, a couple of years in the least, he wondered if the place was still the same. He somehow how doubted it, people didn't use the town's library often, and the cafe was barely noticed by passerby, it would in fact be a slight wonder if the cafe was still open. To Neil's pleasant surprise the cafe was actually open, though the warm mood in the cafe was not quite the same, the atmosphere rather tensed. Mrs. Maybelle rushed them towards their seats with a fake smile on her face ."Those terrible murders dear, it puts the heart of a frail woman like me in strain" she said as she seated them , not bothering to take their order, she didn't have to, most of the customers coming in here only for her brownies. Neil hoped Mrs. Maybelle lived long, she was one of those people that aged very gracefully, definitely the sweetest old lady he'd met. When she had bought them the hot chocolate and her lovely brownies, Neil asked her for some brownies to take away, might as well take a few back to the castle, give them to the people there, might sweeten the sour mood and help them concentrate.

Neil wondered if the castle had already gotten the news, they probably would have. It was a wonder why anybody would kill someone and then leave the body in a place where it could be found easily.It was like the murderer was taunting the officials ,playing a game of cat and mouse. The worst part was that the people behind it weren't caught , this being the eleventh murder in Sailee, or at least the eleventh murder that people were aware of . People were already pointing fingers, blaming the inefficiency of the cops, probably because there was nothing else they could do.

They walked back to the castle together, Neil's mind taking him back to the creepy woman, a very strange time to have a loony smile on the face, indeed.