An Immortal in London: Corruption (6 page)

             
I turned away from her and looked down at my hands, “take me home Clarence.”             

             
“Levi cares about you,” she said before she started the car. “He is a monster, but he’s a good monster.” When I didn’t reply she shrugged and drove, ignoring the speed limit, back to Gabriel’s.

             
“Tell Gabe I said hi,” she said, as I unbuckled my seatbelt. She sped off before I could ask her not to tell Levi.

I couldn’t face Gabriel so I went back to the park after sending an S.O.S to a man who would end up with very hot hands if he helped me and succeeded.

I sat down looking out at the pond and watched the people pass me by. A warm hand touched my shoulder and I smiled up at the young alive face.

A vision of Sedric sat down next to me, I wasn’t lost in my past, my past had found its way to the present, and although I knew that he wasn’t real still I looked up to him and said quietly, “Good morning.”

He took my hand and kissed it lightly. He smiled down to me and sat back, holding my hand between us.

“Do you want to have that?” I pointed across the pond at the family who were playing and smiling like something from an advert for washing powder.

I looked up as he shrugged, he was looking longingly at the children and I knew, as I had done when we were alive, that he had wanted exactly what I had wanted. We would have had a perfect family, we could have been unbelievably happy, but there I was sat on a park bench in London two hundred years into the future never having felt so alone.

He played with the ends of my hair as I spoke to him, “I’m sorry that I took it away from us, I…” I sighed and looked across at the family, “I wish I could go back, I would take it all back.”

He shook his head and a frown fixed itself onto his forehead, with my thumbs I smoothed it out and he smiled at my touch.

“I would never have left London, we could have married and…”

He put a finger onto my lips and silenced my regrets. Together we sat in peaceful silence until I felt his ghostly apparition fade, I reached out for him, but there was nothing to reach for.

“You ok?”

I looked up and a handsome young man was stood above me, genuine concern in his light hazel eyes. I nodded and sat back, “you know, just entering my senile stage.”

He laughed and his Northern accent made his sentiment sound all the more honest, “terrible thing, but don’t worry yourself my Grandma is adamant that she sees things that aren’t there too.”

“So I’m not crazy?”

“Oh you’re full on doolally, but you’ll live,” his smile almost reached his eyes and there was a cheeky twinkle in them that sent my heart racing.

As he shook my hand
and sat down next to me, he asked, “So, why’d you call?”

“What has brought you London?” I asked, taking in his full profile once more.

His hair was dark blonde and as smart as the rest of him. He wore a dark grey suit with a white shirt and a straight black tie, his shoes were well polished. From past experiences I knew that what he had beneath was just as impressive, let’s call it a happy accident.

“I’m sure Gabriel has already told you.”

I shrugged, “you care to give me the details?”

He frowned for a second, thinking over the consequences of telling me before he shrugged too and opened his briefcase. He handed me a photograph of myself and sat back to watch my reaction.

“This photograph is ancient, where’d you get it?”

“My latest client is looking for you.”

“How long have you been on the case?”

“Just under a month,” he smirked and put the picture back into his case.

I shook my head furrowing my brow, “So why haven’t you told them where I am?”

“Because I’m not just going to hand you over to any old guy, anyway I knew you’d call sooner or later, I was hoping on later considering how much I’m being paid, but now will do I suppose.”

“Who is he?”

“Oliver White, he claims that he knew you when you were a rosy cheeked teen up in Killin, he telling me straight?”

“You’re the P.I, what do you think?”

He sat forward and looked up into my eyes, “I looked into his past, clean as it was there was a speck of a dust trail for me to follow, birth records and death records under his name fit the times he gave me and your own times. Why does he want you? That’s what I can’t figure out.”

“Are you not at liberty to ask?”

“My job is to find the face, no questions asked.”

“We were lovers until he got married, and then the house went bang, as you know, and he died.”

“That’s quite a history you have with him. What should I tell him?”

I sat back and thought for a second. I took a breath and suddenly a vision of Katelyn came to me, Levi was stood besides her holding her hand. I had to find Oliver before he found us and I had to kill him.

“Take me to him.”

“Sure thing,” he said with a mischievous smile.

We walked for ten minutes or so until we reached a grand town house. Jesse held his hand out to the door, but I placed mine over his, “He’s in there?” I asked.

As he pushed open the door a deadly familiar voice met my ears, “Victoria?”

Oliver stood over me, his towering frame unchanged.

“What are you doing here? Mr Clark what is she doing here?”

I put my hand onto Jesse’s chest and looked up to Oliver, “we need to talk.”

Jesse opened the front door and I backed outside, Oliver passed by Jesse and hit him over the back of his head as he left. 

I turned so that I was walking backwards slowly a few meters ahead of Oliver, a safe distance if I focused. We stopped as we reached the back alley of his home.

“Why have you come here?” he asked.

“Was it you? Did you kill her?”

“Kill who? What’s going on?”

I didn’t answer, my anger took over my senses and all rationality disbanded. I ran towards him and knocked him off of his feet. I knelt over his body and my hand was trembling above his chest, “Why did you do it?”

“Victoria I don’t know what you’re talking about, you have to believe me,” his eyes were locked onto mine, he showed no fear, and I could see that he like so many of the others was telling the truth. He hadn’t killed Katelyn.

I stood back from him and offered him my hand, he took it and stood.

“Why are you here Victoria?”

“I’m trying to stop the balance from falling into the hands of the corruption.”

“I thought that they left in November?”

I shook my head. He must have been following them too over the years. If he
had been the leader he obviously wasn’t in control any longer. “They’re still here and they have increased in numbers. We took out four in one night and we were punished, we’re fighting a losing battle.”

“What if I can help?”

“Why would you help the living?”

“I’d not be helping the living, I’d be helping you.”

I closed my eyes and nodded. “You could put your hunter’s mark to good use I guess,” I said, directing my eyes to his lower leg, his scar wound around from his ankle to under his canvas shorts.

He looked across at my left arm and nodded, “We can use Mr Clark as a middle man, to save
this
from happening again, he’ll be glad for the pay check I’m sure. I’ll get you a name; I want this to end as much as you do.”

He turned to go back to his home. I called to him, stopping him, “Thank you Oliver.” He nodded and continued to walk from the alley. 

“Gabriel,” I called into the house, as I shut the door behind me. I hung up my coat and slipped my shoes off.

              I walked past the first reception room and didn’t notice who was sitting in Gabriel’s armchair. It was his laugh that alerted me to his presence.

             
“Where have you been?” Gabriel asked, panic flashing in his eyes.

             
“You were right about Oliver being good,” I whispered, hoping that Levi wouldn’t hear.

             
“What are you two chattering about?” Levi asked, lounging against the kitchen doorway.

             
“I’ve changed my mind about the hunt,” I said, shocking them both.

             
Levi’s confident smile faltered and he excused us from Gabriel’s company. Gabriel huffed and walked off to his library.

             
“Rose, I know you better than I know myself and I know that you don’t just change your mind.”

             
“I was wrong; I was being stupid and selfish. I want to keep hunting until London is free of corruption. Hopefully just in time for Gabriel’s little party too, I do love a good shindig.”

             
He hesitated before he he looked across to me and smiled quickly before he put on his jacket and said, “If we leave now we can fit two in tonight. Who knows we might even find Oliver.”

             
“Give me a second to change.”

             
“Sure, I’ll wait in the car.” He kissed my cheek quickly and left the house. I closed the door and walked into Gabriel’s library, Gabriel trailed slowly behind me.

             
“So, did you do it?”

             
I laughed and ran my hand along the velvet curtains, “do what?”

             
“You know what.”

             
“What?”

             
“Victoria.”

             
“Gabriel,” I said, mocking him.             

He took my hand and spun me around forcefully. I took a step forward so that our chests were touching and crept up onto the tips of my toes.

              “You’re not the only one who can tell a white lie,” I whispered, my breath hot on his lips.

             
“You didn’t kill him?”

             
“He’s already dead Gabriel, so technically it would be impossible to kill him.”

             
“Victoria, did you kill him?”

             
I closed my eyes and shook my head. A breath of relief washed over my face. I put my hand under his chin and forced him to look into my eyes, “you understand why I’m doing this to you?” I asked in a delicate whisper.

             
“Yes.”

             
I dropped my hand and left the room, with its grand golden walls and dark wood floors. Gabriel had for so long led me to believe that Oliver had been killed, my sense of betrayal was far beyond any amount of teasing that I could do, but I had more pressing issues to deal with.

             
“What did you do?” he asked, following me out of the room.

             
I put my fingers to my lips and smiled, “It’s a secret.”

             
“Where are you going?”

             
“To make sure that Levi doesn’t kill your beloved Oliver.” Before I left I turned around and held out my keys, “Did you find them?”

             
He sighed and pulled his keys from his jacket pocket, “they were here the whole time apparently.”

I would keep my arrangement with Oliver secret, I would have to. The dead were a very sensitive subject with Levi, if he ever knew my involvement with either Victor or Oliver he would be sure to take my heart and launch it halfway across the world as carrion for the
vultures and hell hounds. I left the house and embraced the darkness of the frozen night, fighting the images of savage wolves fighting over my broken heart.

Kerry was a cleaner. She was in her late thirties and had very little about her that stood out to me. It was something that many of our present victims had in common. Each had a very menial job and nothing that made them an understandable target, they were distractions from the real threat, but they were dead and that was all that was important.

“Kerry?” I asked, as I lay my hand lightly onto the woman’s shoulder.

She looked up and down the small school corridor and then met my eyes.
There was blood all over her clothes, her hands, and her face. I heard a hiss slip from between her lips and she covered her mouth in shock.

“Who did this to you?” I asked softly.

Her hands were shaking as she took her hands from her mouth and she stuttered, “I killed them… I killed them…” she cried, but was cut short as my hand caught site of her heart.

As her body collapsed to the floor her purse slid across the hallway. I walked away from her and picked it up. Levi stood behind me, his warm breath on my neck. Inside there was a photograph of two small children and another of a man who was smiling brightly holding onto a baby, I closed my eyes and cursed, a pain swelled in my stomach as I took out a match and her body disappeared within the flames.

“She was already dead,” I whispered into the darkness, “She was already dead.”

Levi took the purse from my hands and
threw it into the flames. He left the school and I followed closely behind refusing to look back.

“This is wrong,” he said quietly, as we stood in a park opposite the school.

I nodded and looked around at the darkening city, “Half of London is dead Levi.”

“We don’t have long.”

I looked up to him and released a worried breath as his eyes fell upon mine, “What are we going to do?”

“Keep hunting until we quell the threat.”

“These are innocents Levi.”

He nodded pursing his lips, “That’s why we have to keep hunting, the longer we leave it the more people will have to die. We can do this Rose, together, with Clarence and any others we can find.”

“Tomorrow I’ll call George, he will help, I don’t know of any others in London.”

“Me neither,” he sighed, “Let’s get this over with, and then we can focus on finding Oliver.”

“Levi,” I said, taking his hand.

“Yes?”

I shook my head and smiled up to him, “It doesn’t matter, let’s get this done.”

He nodded and opened the car door for m
e, “Get in.”

             
“Would it bother you if I brought another man home?”

             
“Why would it bother me?” he asked, as he pulled up outside of a block of upper-class flats.

             
“I don’t know.”

             
“Would it bother you if I had been taking women back to my home every night after our hunts?”

             
I looked up at the flats and shook my head, “I guess not.”

             
With a brief nod he opened my door and we ran quietly and quickly and stopped outside of flat 010 to visit Jessica.

“Ready?”

I took a step back before kicking with full force the glossy blue door; the darkness swam from the apartment as Levi walked in. I stood beside him and looked at the young woman, she was shorter than me, and she had the smallest palest hands I had seen. Her auburn hair hid her shaking pink lips and I suddenly felt a heavy weight fall in the pit of my stomach.

“She doesn’t know anything,” I whispered.

She met my eyes with such terror and pain that I had to look away. I should have taken her heart but I couldn’t. I didn’t have the chance to say a word to the girl as Levi was holding her heart in his hands when I looked up. He called for me as I walked from the apartment and sat in the car, quiet and alone. It didn’t take him five minutes to clean up.

He didn’t say anything as he sat next to me in the car. I could feel his eyes observing and calculating. He knew from the way I hung my head, from the dead look in my eyes, what I was feeling. As he drove I was thinking about Jessica and I began to wonder if that had been me, if I had gone the other way, would Levi have destroyed me?

“What are you thinking about?” he asked, as he swam in the lost expression in my eyes.

             
I shrugged, “life.” I sighed and turned to him, “what would you have done if it was me?”

             
He looked out at the open road before him and frowned, “Why are you asking that?

             
I looked up into his eyes and knew that he would have taken my heart, as he would do when he found Oliver, I didn’t know why I was so hurt; I would have done the same. Yet when I had seen Oliver I let him walk away.  

             
“Every night I see him,” I whispered.

             
He looked across to me, taking his eyes from the road.

             
“I see his eyes as we were leaving the ball room.” I sighed, “If I could go back I would have danced to my death.”

             
Neither of us spoke another word until we stopped outside of Gabriel’s home.

             
“I wouldn’t have killed you,” he said.

             
I rested my hand onto the door of his car and closed my eyes. “I can’t keep doing this, Levi.”

             
“I know,” he whispered.

             
I got out of the car and stopped walking as I heard him following me. I turned to him and he pulled me into his arms. For the first time since my immortal life began the man that I held in my arms felt
right
. I rested my head against his chest and my tears flowed freely, liberating my soul from its evergreen pain. Levi was my guardian as he had always been, we had both lost something of ourselves when we lost Katelyn and together we were the only ones who could piece ourselves back.

             
“Clarence will be waiting for me,” he uttered, as Gabriel opened the door and stepped out. He released me and wiped away the last of my tears.

             
“Victoria, you’ve got a visitor,” Gabriel called from the door. I tore my eyes from Levi’s car and made my way into the reception room, resolving my composure.

             
Jesse was sat holding onto a mug of coffee, his briefcase sat on the floor beside him. He stood as I entered the room, “Victoria, Oliver has news.”

             
I sat down and poured myself a cup of tea, “That was fast, tell me everything.”

             
Gabriel had moved upstairs, he understood the importance of his ignorance, the more that he knew the more danger he would be in.

             
“He has been trying to find a name for you, but it seems as the leader isn’t only one man. In many cases a woman has been referred to, we, Mr Wright, believes that there are several at the top.”

             
I ran my hands through my hair and bit my lower lip, “Do we have any idea who she is?”

             
“No, but get this, Oliver thinks that she’s alive.”

              “Alive, as in mortal or…”

             
“Like yourself.”

             
“Oh,” I uttered, “where is Oliver now?”

I found him within the hour. He was sat on a river bank which over looked a darling canal. I handed him a pair of gloves as I put on my own pair. He looked up to me and smiled as he put them on, “how’d you find me?”

             
“I remember telling you about this place,” I said, as I sat down a few paces away from him, “I can’t believe that you remember.”

             
“How could I forget a minute of the time we spent together?”

             
I met his eyes and smiled softly, “I’m sorry.”

             
“I was the one at fault. I married Cassandra and well, here we are,” he said, motioning around us.

             
“I did love you Oliver, but Sedric he was different, he was…”

             
“The one?”

             
I laughed, “Yes.”

             
“Do you miss him?”

             
“Everyday day,” I said with a sigh.

             
“You have to let go of the past so that you can have a future,” he said smiling up to the stars. “It’s beautiful isn’t it?”

             
I laughed in a breath and looked up too. “I don’t know how,” I whispered.

             
Oliver put a gloved hand onto mine and squeezed it gently, “you’re intelligent Victoria you’ll figure it out.”

             
We sat in silence looking up at the stars, our differences put aside and our pasts far, far behind us.

“Thank you for doing this for me.”

              “I owe you one for not killing me when you had the chance.”

             
“I’m going to have to tell Levi, if he finds you he won’t give you a chance to explain,” I said more to myself than to Oliver.

             
“Who is Levi?” Oliver asked, and I told him.

              I told him everything that had happened since our immortal beginnings. It felt good to tell him everything, the good
and
the bad.

             
“I’ll make sure to avoid him,” he said, laughing lightly, “He must be a good guy for you to put up with all of that.”

             
I took a breath and nodded with a small smile. I turned to him and stood as I said, “I should head back.”

             
“Be careful,” he called after me.

“Goodbye Oliver.”

When I got back to Gabriel’s he was on his porch waiting for me. I stood in the driveway for a while simply looking up at him. Slowly I walked towards him and he stood and took me into his arms. Jesse had left shortly after I had, telling Gabriel where I had gone. Everything was a mess, ten times more so than it had been before.

              “Tomorrow I’m going to see George,” I announced, over dessert.

             
Gabriel looked up to me and nodded with a smile, “He’ll be glad to see you again.”

             
“I hope so; we’re hoping that he can help us. That way we might be able to avoid further punishment.”

             
“Levi didn’t seem to mind,” he said, bitterness creeping into his tone.

             
I shrugged and took a drink from my glass of iced water, “It’s not all up to him.”

             
That night I slept far from soundly. The dream was torturous. It was the same as the others, it replayed throughout the night until my mind wandered from sleep. Levi was stood before me his hands held out, blood soaking them. Each time I looked down and saw the blood pouring from my empty chest the dream would begin again, I knew as he held me the final time before I awoke that he was dreaming with me.

“Jesse called by earlier, dropped this off,” Gabriel said, sliding a sealed envelope across the table. I sat down, my arm itching furiously. Gabriel watched me with curiosity as I scratched my arm and tried to open the letter simultaneously.

             
I opened it as I took a sip from my cup of tea. I frowned as I read the letter that Jesse had written up for Oliver. “Mortals,” I cursed, standing up from where I sat at the table and I ran upstairs to change.

             
I drove to the address that I was given for Jesse’s hotel and knocked onto his door impatiently.

             
“You got my letter?”

             
“What does this mean?” I asked, thrusting the letter into his hands.

             
He read over his typed words and looked out up and down the corridor. “What is it that you don’t understand?” he asked, as he offered me a seat.

             
I stayed standing in the doorway and stabbed the paper where the name
Bernadette Francis
was printed, “She has been missing for forty years, what on earth has she got to do with this?”

             
Jesse put the papers down and began to explain. Oliver had been to where he believed the mass of the dead had been created, and killed two untrained hunters before a third and final terrified girl gave him Francis’s name. She told him how she had been visited by a woman who had told her would help her out financially, she ran an agency that gave young girls like her jobs, and then she was killed and woke up in her flat uncertain as to if any of it was real. Oliver killed her and disposed of the bodies, passing the information onto Jesse.