Blood in the rain: Chronicles of the Hunter

Chapters 11 & 12

Chapter 11 – I, the Sin Eater, Maxwell Grey

Maxwell sat perched on a rooftop, holding his chest, as he surveyed the city. Phantom pains had stricken him, during his latest engagement, nearly subjecting him to his attackers' whims. Below him, lie his latest victims, a pack of ghouls, which had wandered from the nearby cemetery. Beside them, their vampire masters, also lay shredded. Hearing the sound of police sirens, Maxwell turned and began following the source back into the city.

As he neared, he noticed a S.W.A.T. car had arrived on the scene and a news helicopter, hovered nearby. Maxwell moved in closer and listened carefully. He only listened long enough to catch that the perpetrators had looted a building.

"Human problem." He growled as he turned and moved back towards home. Running across the rooftops, Maxwell made quick progress through the city and noticed several police vehicles parked outside, lights on.

"What the hell?" Maxwell said aloud as he leapt across the street and made his way to the cathedral roof. Carefully, Maxwell worked his way passed the bell tower and to the balcony door. Slipping inside, Maxwell could hear the police. He listened intently as they communicated on their radios but he could not quite make sense of the chatter. Maxwell crept to the balcony's edge and felt as another crack appeared in his heart.

Beneath him, he saw three bodies lying on the ground, two in pieces and the one, which was intact, surrounded by police and a coroner, was Matthew's. Maxwell gripped at his chest as he saw the bullet hole in the back of his adoptive son's skull and looked to the tumbled over crucifix. Upon the wall, where the savior once rested, painted in blood, was a thorn covered heart, pierced by a crucifix-handled sword.

Rage began to swell within Maxwell as he stared upon the message left to him. Blackness began to seethe from his being as his shadow stretched out beyond him. The coroner and the police officers, looked around as the lights in the room flickered from Maxwell's aura. Maxwell watched as all but one officer, moved from the room. As Maxwell's aura dimmed the lights further, he silently dropped to the ground floor. He walked to Matthew's side and rolled his son over. Matthew's eyes were still open, his hand outstretched towards the wall. Maxwell closed his eyes as he clenched his teeth angrily. He removed Matthew's rosary, closed his son's eyes and turning around, crept behind the officer.

"Where are they?" He asked, placing his hand over the officer's mouth. The officer struggled against the enraged man, who whispered again.

"I will not harm you. Tell me where they have gone and I will leave." As Maxwell began to remove his hand, the officer's radio came on.

"S.W.A.T. has been met with heavy fire. All officers are asked to report to the scene and set up a perimeter." As the crackle faded, the officer pointed to his radio and nodded his head. Maxwell recalled the scene he had passed on his route and growled. Maxwell turned his eyes back to Matthew's body.
"I am sorry, my son." He whispered, releasing the police officer and vanishing into the dark. The shroud of darkness vanished and the lights came on, as Maxwell left in pursuit of those who killed his son.

Across the city, beneath the spotlights of the news helicopters, several men, armed with assault munitions paced. Unbeknownst to the men above, Maxwell, filled with grief and rage, silently entered the building through a window. With the eyes of a nocturnal predator, he stalked through the halls, searching for prey.

The sound of the men's footsteps, though quiet from human standards, proved deafening, in Maxwell's current state. He heard every breath, every word, of every person around them. He slowed his approach, as he heard the sound of a heart, beating.