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Chapter Text

“Why are you so scared? We’ve done this our whole lives.” Vi said, her hand clasped around a man’s throat, forcing him against the brick wall.

The man, one Richard Smith, had fangs like a viper, protruding from his mouth. He snarled at Vi, threatening to rip her flesh off with his teeth. His hands were clasped desperately around her wrist, trying to tear free. His claws dug into her flesh, soaking in the spilling blood.

She grunted, her offhand held a wooden stake, she pressed the point to his chest, and sank it deep, piercing his heart. The vampire struggled, a horrible scream escaped him, before his body fell slack. Vi dropped him, letting his body hit the ground without care.

Jinx was standing over a writhing child, boot pressing into neck. They were no older than fourteen years, or so they appeared. In truth only they now knew their true age.

“That’s not a kid, it’s a monster, older than the two of us combined, no doubt.” Vi said.

The vampire’s limbs were incapacitated, or at the very least immobile in their current state. They tried to reach for the boot, but fumbled. Vi approached behind Jinx, raising her brother’s arm, helping him aim his crossbow at the beast's heart. “Do it,” she whispered behind his ear, “or I’ll do it for you.”

Jinx trembled, his arm unsteady. Even with the assistance of his sister he couldn’t keep his aim true. He turned his head away, and allowed his arm to fall to his hip. “I can’t.” He said, “you do it.”

Vi let out a disappointed sigh, and dropped to one knee, dropping her leg down violently into the vampires gut. She held her stake tight in her hands, above her head, then plunged it in one clean motion into the pseudo-child’s heart.

It squealed miserably, and hissed catlike. It jerked its head away from its body, as if trying to decapitate itself with the inertia. Its movements continued on like this, before they grew labored, and before long died entirely. Vi stood once she was sure the beast was dead.

“What the fuck was that, Jinx?” She yelled, pushing his back. “I mean really, how many blood beasts have you killed, and you hesitate just because of when it was turned? Thank god for us that it was weak, or it would’ve killed us both the moment you hesitated.” Her chest rose and fell, her lungs filling with heavy breaths.

“I know! Okay? I know. Just leave it, Vi.” He holstered his crossbow, and hugged himself awkwardly.

Vi would decidedly not leave it. “No, no I’m tired of this. This is the third time, last time almost fucking got you killed. What would Vander say? If you died on my watch? I’d be lucky if all he did was stake me.”

Jinx stomped his foot, “I said leave it, Vi! It’s done, let’s just go home.”

This time Vi really did let Jinx off the hook, only, she decided, this would the last time.

——

Vi knocked on the door to Vander’s office. She heard his voice through the door, calling for them to come in.

The interior was thoroughly decorated, hardly a wall or surface was unoccupied. Lining the walls behind his desk was dark, wooden display cabinets, greying from years of sun damage and decay. Skulls of all sorts littered the shelves, ranging from a small cat to human, with and without the fangs. Jars of mysterious liquid held even more mysterious clumps of flesh and organ inside. Trinkets and rewards scattered haphazardly where space was need.

On either side of the door were bookshelves, and where there was not furniture, there were paintings, and maps. Reference guide to all sorts of supernatural beasts.

He gestured for them to come sit, and so they did, each in their own leather chair across from him. “How did it go?” His voice was rough, and his attention was focused not on them, but on a letter he was writing.

“This one hesitated. Again. Could have gotten us both killed.” Said Vi, holding tightly onto the grudge.

Jinx shook his head. “It wasn’t like that, you’ve got to understand. They were just a child.”

Vi went to speak, but put his hand up before either of the siblings could get a word out. “I’ll not hear another word. Every time I send you both out on hunts together, there is some problem.” His attention was now, regrettably, on them.

“But sir-” Vi started, but Vander cut her off.

“No, no. You aren’t permitted to speak, Violet.”

She immediately closed her lips, a seething anger overtook her expression.

“And you, Powder.” Vander turned to Jinx, his eyes narrowing. Jinx physically recoiled and shrunk after hearing the name they’ve long since shed. “You are far too empathetic. Detach yourself. They are lesser beasts, less than even the pigs and cattle we eat.” He stared at them both, his features were rough from a life on the hunt.

Still, at the sight of the two of them, simmering in rage and sorrow, his features softened. “Ah, but I’m proud of you both either way.” He stood, and with slow, heavy steps rounded the desk, and brought himself behind the sulking siblings. He rested his weighty hands on each of their respective shoulders. “You’ve done good, you’ve come back alive with more kills under your belt. It takes years of practice, don’t beat yourself up over it.” He smiled, then, warm and gentle.

“You’re dismissed, should there be nothing else you girls have to say?”

Vi shook her head, instead looking sympathetically at her brother, reading his expression. Jinx, for a moment, seemed as if he might speak, then thought better of it.

They left, Vander shutting the door behind them, and they made their way down the hall of their home. “I’m sorry,” Vi said.

“For what?” Jinx asked.

Vi could see that her brother was trapped in his own brain, replaying the scene on loop. “For everything. I’m sorry for snapping at you, and I’m sorry for not standing up for you in there.”

“I don’t need you to be my bodyguard. Nothing’s the matter.”

“But, what he said, I know how it hurts you.”

Jinx stopped, exhaling a frustrated breath. “You know nothing. I can handle myself.”

His sister shook her head, meeting his gaze “All I’m saying is-”

“Are you listening? I. Don’t. Care.” He enunciated each word more harsh than the last. “I don’t! And you don’t, and he doesn’t. If either of you did, then something would change. If I cared, then I’d change it. But I don’t.” Perhaps the most obvious lie he could have told, since tears were welling in his eyes. He turned away, and hurried down the hall to his room. Vi heard the slamming of the door.

She stood there, alone in the decrepit halls. Entirely unsure of how everything in her life was so royally fucked up.

Chapter Text

Vi ate another dinner alone in the dining room. This wasn’t something she was entirely unused to, her family haven’t had a dinner together since she was far younger and the world simpler. Nonetheless she still always sat alone, with an open invitation for someone to join her. From time to time her brother would, but seldom would she see Vander eat outside his office.

Tonight would appear to be a lonely one, and Vi wasn’t one to sit around the house and do nothing. Not when she could be training, not when she could be hunting.

She cleaned up after herself, and made her way to her room.

It was a mess, and nearly barren, barring the weapons that hung from the wall. She stared at them, contemplating her next move.

She relented, and grabbed her black cloak, tying it around her neck. Under the long, tattered robe, was a white poet blouse, and black peg-top trousers. An ornate wooden rosary clung to her neck, tucked neatly into her top. She checked herself out briefly in the mirror. She was nothing if not vain. She took pride in hunting in style. She felt it imperative that an impression was made on her prey. Vander was a great mentor in this regard, he had a mythology behind him. Men respected him, and vampires treated him as their one, true natural predator. Vi strived to not only emulate that level of infamy, she wanted to exceed it tenfold.

She hadn’t yet figured out the how. It was a new age, and folk were leaving her ilk behind. Her family was no longer considered essential to public safety. She’d heard vampire hunters referred to as mad and misguided. At worst they had been accused of the murders she had worked so hard to put an end to. Rumors that her kin would stage murders to appear as vampire attacks were abundant.

These were ridiculous accusations, of course. But popular nonetheless, and put a severe damper on her career path.

She looked out the window, the moon hung high in the sky, obscured by clouds of everpresent smog. She recalled her childhood, when seeing a dark smoke in the sky was indicative of a fire, when industry did not yet persist throughout all aspects of life. The air was cleaner, then, the world was safe.

She pushed these thoughts from her mind. Nostalgia was nothing but a distraction from the present, and the present called for a hunt. She holstered a wooden stake, her crossbow, and sheathed her silver knife. She was ready to head out.

She crept through the halls, passing Jinx’s room. She knocked lightly on his door. Vander could not find out what she was planning, to say he was disapproving of spontaneous hunts was an understatement. But Vi could not simply wait around to be told what to do. She was no longer a child, she needed to take action.

“Jinx, you in there?” She whispered, face pressed to the door. She thought she heard a groan, but could not be sure. “I’m going out.” She said, after waiting a few moments. She hurried out the house immediately after, and into the streets of London.

—-

There had, according to her own private research, been a surge of disappearances as of late. More concerning, there had been a severe lack of bodies found. Typically she found this had a direct causal relation to the rise in Vampire attacks. It made sense in her mind, more recruits, more feeding needed to occur.

More beasts to hunt.

Her last job had been hunting a father and child, owner and heir to a collection of local steel plants. She’d research into their professional and political ties and found a litany of connections to the aristocracy. Vampires are horribly independent creatures, but more so they’re obsessed with cultivating an image of grandeur. They love to flaunt, and therefore often their social circles contain more of their kin.

Richard Smith had ties to all corners of the globe, though only a handful of them were here in London. Most notably was one Caitlyn Kiramman. She was daughter to a noble family, one which was effectively in complete control of Scotland Yard.

Unfortunately for Vi, she could not simply wander into their manor and make a show of it. She’d die within the first fifty meters of the front gate. Though she was not as infamous as Vander, she still had a reputation via proximity as his pupil.

This isn’t to say Vi had no plan, no, she had a target for tonight. A link between Richard and Caitlyn, and that was an officer by the name of Maddie Nolen.

She supposedly was providing security for Richard, which included covering up any feedings he and his child embarked on. More interestingly, she was, quite literally, in bed with Kiramman.

A thrall, then. A servant bound to the masters will. Until, of course, that connection is forcibly severed.

Maddie lived not too far a distance from Vi’s own residence, in fact. She lived on the other side of Whitechapel, a fact that made the fact she had not yet caught and killed Caitlyn even more frustrating.

Maddie lived in one of the few independent homes in the area, a certifiable luxury compared to the crowded tenements. It appeared becoming a servant for the Devil had its upsides. God was not so generous with his own disciples.

Vi scouted the perimeter of the building a handful of times, searching for the best possible point to enter. All the lights were off, except the upstairs bedroom. There was no noise coming from the home at all. She had concluded that the simplest option was the most advantageous in this case.

She picked the lock to the back door, a skill she never honed beyond fucking with it until worked.

The door, without even a turn of the knob, suddenly creaked open, inviting her into the kitchen. This, naturally, unsettled the hunter. She may not be proficient in picking locks, but she was damn sure she hadn’t done that.

“Faulty installation,” she told herself, not caring if it was true or not.

She crept inside, keeping her head low and her steps light. It was dark as all hell, and she could barely see.

She paused, footsteps were scattering on the floor above her. It sounded like two, maybe three people.

‘Just my goddamn luck,’ Vi thought. How might she go about this?

Before she had time to plan a course of action, a blade found her neck, pressing just enough to threaten drawing blood. Another hand caught her arm, and forced it behind her back, restraining her. Vi froze, her free hand gripping her crossbow.

She wasn’t sure where she went wrong, she heard footsteps upstairs, she heard no movement in the kitchen. Had they been expecting her?

“Where’s the other one?” A woman’s voice asked. “We know he’s here.”

We? So there were multiple.

“Who are you?” Vi’s growled, struggling against the restraint, careful not to slit her own throat.

“Where is Jinx?” She asked, pulling her arm further back, in a way it should not bend.

“Not here, I came alone.”

“Bullshit!”

“It’s true!” Vi spat.

From the corner of her eye, she saw another figure enter, this one’s face she could make out just fine. A tall, thin woman with long midnight blue hair. She clapped her gloves hand mockingly.

“Vi, Vi.” Said the woman, sing-song. “What a pleasure to make your acquaintance. So soon, might I add?”

“Caitlyn.” Sneered Vi. That means the one behind her must be Maddie. She didn’t sense anyone else.

“Let her go.” Caitlyn commanded, and Maddie did without hesitation, throwing Vi to the ground.

She picked herself up fast, drawing her crossbow and aiming it straight at the vampire. Her other arm stinged with pain, but she drew her silver blade nonetheless, and held it unsteadily pointed at Maddie. Maddie held her dagger pointed at Vi in turn.

“Uh-Uh,” Caitlyn said, as if disciplining a child. “I simply wish to speak to you. We’re all civilized beings, are we not?”

“Like hell I’ll talk to you.” Said Vi.

“But you must, it’s about your family.”

This caused something to break in Vi, and she let loose a bolt, hurtling towards Caitlyn’s heart.

It missed, embedding into the wall directly behind where Caitlyn once stood. She disappeared, vanished in a flash, Vi spun around, searching, and her eyes fell on Maddie. Or, more accurately, Caitlyn standing now directly behind her thrall. Maddie did not move, though her arm that wielded her blade now seemed unsure. It trembled, as if too heavy for her to hold straight.

Caitlyn’s hand fell onto Maddie’s shoulder.

“Kill Vander.” Caitlyn said, as if nothing happened at all. “Do this, and your every wish will come true. You’ll no longer know poverty, or desire, for that matter, for you’ll have all you’d ever need.”

Vi was stuck. She could not kill the thrall to get to Kiramman. Not just because the demon was too fast for her, but she could not bring herself to kill humans. It was an oath Vander never took, and where she would excel beyond him.

“Why?” Vi asked, biding time.

“Him and I have a score that needs settling.” She said, “All the better if it’s a betrayal from his favorite little pet.”

“Up yours, bitch.” Vi said simply.

Caitlyn, strangely, seemed to consider this. “Perhaps your sibling would better listen to reason.”

“You stay away from him!” Vi yelled, immediate rage filling her blood.

“I’ll do what I please, Hunter. I think I’ll pay him a visit now, in fact.”

Vi had, at this point, lost the capacity for words, and fully charged headlong towards the two. Maddie widened her stance, holding her blade close to her chest, ready to strike.

Before Vi had the opportunity to close the distance, however, Caitlyn charged in turn, at an unholy speed. The vampire's hand slammed against Vi’s face, and slammed her headfirst into the tiled floor.

The world went black for Vi, and she didn’t come to until she felt a weight drop upon her gut. Her eyes struggled to open, and through blurred vision she could make out the image of Maddie, atop of her, dagger held high overhead.

Urgency soared through Vi, and she threw her weight to the side, knocking Maddie off kilter. Maddie stumbled, and then oriented herself once more, and drove her blade down towards Vi’s skull.

Vi threw her hands up, one grabbing Maddie’s wrist, the other her forearm. She pushed against the weight of the other woman, forcing the weapon away from her face.

Maddie had a horrible smirk across her face, and she let the blade rise slowly above Vi’s head.

Vi felt a sudden panic, when Maddie let the knife slip from her palms, and plunged towards the hunter's face.

Vi turned her head, the edge of the blade only finding her cheek, slicing a piece of flesh apart.

An opportunity presented itself, and the vampire’s thrall was now vulnerable. Her idiotic master plan of letting gravity do the work now properly foiled.

The adrenaline pumped through Vi, as she grabbed her opponent’s neck, and squeezed hard. The woman struggled for air, clawing at the sleeves of Vi’s blouse.

Both of their strength diminishing, Vi made one last move to once more throw her whole body weight to one side, and shoving Maddie down into the ground.

Vi climbed atop her, her grip fierce, and she gave the other woman not an inch. She waited until Maddie’s movements slowed, but didn’t stop. Then she loosened her hold on her throat.

Maddie lay, gasping for air. Moments passed and Vi just stared at the poor soul in front of her, so lost is she that she’d throw herself away for a Devil spawn.

Altogether at once Maddie sat up, and slammed her fist into Vi’s chest, an act of futility. Vi, instinctively, cocked her arm back, and punched the girl with whatever strength she could find, knocking her unconscious.

Vi breathed hard, her body was tired and weak and she could barely bring herself to stand. She stood for a long moment, gathering her resolve. Before she remembered, Caitlyn was missing.

‘Fuck,’ She thought.

Jinx.

Chapter Text

Jinx had spent most of this night much like he did many other nights, curled up in a ball and crying.

His hair was shorter once more, the length that used to be there now was all over the floor and his vanity, next to the scissors.

He’d heard Vi knock earlier, he didn’t fully register what it was she said, though. Probably just going to train, she liked to invite him along. He rarely accepted.

He couldn’t make up his mind about her. She was, on one hand, the only person in the world who respected him for who he was, no strings attached. On the other she could be a ruthless killer, her morals seemed scattered and inconsistent, and she could be kind of a dick.

He wanted to impress her, to make her proud. He wanted to be the hunter she was, he wanted to draw not the ire of their mentor, but the praise. He was envious and wanting all at once and he had no recourse to sort through these feelings. So, he laid in bed, sulking.

It had been a couple of hours since the knock came at his door. The sun would be rising soon, and he wouldn’t have slept.

Just then, he heard a tapping, not from his door, but his window. Outside was a woman, he couldn’t quite discern who she was. He opened his window, “Hello?” He whisper-yelled to her, trying not to wake Vander. “Are you okay?”

“I’m-“ she let out a labored breath, “I’m hurt, can I come in? There’s a man…” She looked behind her, searching as if something was stalking her.

Jinx hesitated, every instinct as a hunter told him to turn her away, that this was a trap. But he knew the harm that might befall her if he was wrong, if his paranoia got to him. He knew Vi would slam the window without a second thought, but Jinx couldn’t do that.

“Yeah- yes.” He said, “you can come in, let me go unlock-”

She appeared before him, crawling through the second story window. He fell back onto the ground in shock, crawling over to his vanity where he left his wooden stake.

He barely made it a foot before the vampire pressed her heel to his chest, forcing him onto his back. He let out a pained grunt.

She leaned down, putting her hands on her knee, exasperating the pressure against him. “I’m not here to hurt you.” She said, a devious glimmer in her eye.

“I’m sorry we had to get off on the wrong…foot.” She laughed at her own joke, Jinx did not seem responsive to it.

“But you see I have a deal to strike, and I can’t let you going and staking me before you’ve even heard the terms.” She removed her heel, planting it down beside him. She held out a hand towards him, beckoning him to his feet.

He took it cautiously, letting her aid him to his feet, but immediately putting some distance.

“We must be silent, Vander’s here.” He said. The threat of Vander might keep him safe, but simultaneously he did not want Vander or Vi to find out he let a blood beast into their home.

“Of course.” She waved her hand dismissively. “That’s actually what I’m here to discuss— Vander.” The name was like poison on her tongue. “You’re the man of the house, aren’t you, Jinx?”

To this he perked up, straightening his posture. “Well- I suppose in some sense.” He said, unsure of what he even really meant by that.

“Good,” she took a step closer to him, and then another, “What I offer you is something no one else can. I offer you a way out of this poverty, out of this life. I extend to you the opportunity to become one of the most powerful men In the world, one of the most respected.”

Jinx was listening, intently.

“Anything you desire is yours, should you want it.”

“Anything?”

Caitlyn gave an assuring nod, mouthing the words ‘Anything.’

She closed the distance between the two of them with a final, sure step, her heel clicking triumphantly against the floorboards. She ran a finger slowly up his forearm, watching herself trail along his skin.

He felt his heart race, and he stood, frozen, watching her. Her touch rose up his arm, across his collarbone, and raised his chin to meet her gaze. He could feel his face heating up, he could feel how vulnerable he was, how much stronger than him she was.

“Kill Vander, that’s all I ask of you. I don’t care how. I just want him dead.”

Jinx shook his head, pushing her away. “No, no I can’t- I won’t do that.” He said, defensively.

Caitlyn did not seem deterred. “Is it really such a problem? What does he do for you?” She pressed. “Does he respect you, truly respect you? What has he left to offer that I cannot.”

Jinx hesitated at this. He couldn’t quite place it, whatever tied him to Vander so much. He always just assumed it was innate family loyalty, blood was thicker than water and all.

But it was more than that, there had been a respect given to Jinx, it was just misplaced. There was a history besides. He took them in after the death of the siblings' parents. He gave them guidance, and trust.

He turned to Caitlyn, “I’ll do it.”

She seemed, to his surprise, shocked that he agreed to it.

“On the condition that Vi is not to be harmed.” He said, pushing his luck.

“Once your end of the bargain is fulfilled, I shall do all in my power to see that no one in my circle kills her. That is, unless it is self-defense.” Caitlyn said.

Jinx supposed he would have to agree to that, it might buy her some time. “Fine.”

“Good, I knew you would see reason.” Caitlyn said, grinning, her fangs were pristinely white that they reflected the candlelight. Her fangs were long, and some of the most pointed he’d ever seen.

“One last request?” Jinx asked.

“Yes?”

In an instant, he grabbed her forearm and pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers in a rough kiss. His other hand found the middle of her back, and held her tight.

She seemed unsettled at the speed at which he was able to grab her. She hadn’t been expecting it, a flash of panic hit her face, immediately dissolving with the kiss. She returned it in kind, her hands grabbing his waist, claws digging in.

After a moment he pressed his hand to her chest, and pushed her playfully onto his bed, and he followed immediately by crawling on top of her, that same hand finding her neck.

“My- are you quite sure?” She asked, still suspicious of him.

“Shut it.” He responded, lightly slapping her cheek, testing the waters.

Her fangs pressed against her lip, biting.

Straddling her, he bent down, kissing her again, tongue pressing into her mouth.

His hand stayed tight around her neck, her skin only marginally paler than his, which shouldn’t have been a surprise, he saw about as much daylight as the average vampire.

His other hand slid down her abdomen, and slipped into her pants, and between her thighs, rubbing his two longest fingers against her, growing continuously wetter.

She moaned into his mouth, her body arching at the sensation.

She broke the kiss, and removed her top, followed by her bra. Her skin was clean of scars and marks, as if she’d never experienced even a single blemish.

Jinx followed suit, removing his shirt, revealing the bandages underneath, binding his chest. Caitlyn’s hands hurried to pull them off, but he caught her, shaking his head.

No words were exchanged, but she understood.

He leaned down, and kiss her neck, leaving little bites as he made his way down to her breasts, then her stomach.

He pulled off her pants and underwear in one clean motion, and tossed them to the side. He grabbed both of her thighs and propped them up against his shoulders, burying his head into her.

His tongue flicked against her, and she covered her mouth to muffle the sounds that escaped. She pulled whatever hair she could find, and when that wasn’t enough forced his head to stay.

He squeezed at her thighs, pulling one to the side to free an arm. He began fingering her, pushing his middle and ring finger inside of her. He started slow, and gentle, and continued to keep pace with his tongue.

“Fuck-” She moaned out, pushing his head down harder.

He kept at this, feeling her writhe in pleasure against him. His chin was dripping wet, from his own saliva and from her.

She became silent, little whimpers escaping her lips as she desperately tried to push the noises down. Her thighs once more squeezed around his skull.

Her body trembled as she came, her back arching up and down, trying to contain the sensation. Slowly her legs fell, freeing him. He sat up on his knees, forcing a smile at her.

She sat up and kissed him hard. He pushed her away again, and whispered. “We’re not done.”

She quirked an eyebrow as he stood from the bed. “Bend over,” he said, “I need to go grab something.”

She realized his intent now, and was not in a mood to complain. She bent over his bed, propping herself up to him. He gave her ass a playful, gentle tap, before turning to his vanity.

He made a show of opening and closing drawers, saying to himself, “where is it?” Over and over again.

She waited ever so patiently for him, her eyes closed, she laid on her belly, relaxing her body.

“Got it!” He said, carefully picking up his wooden stake.

“Mm, good.” She said.

He walked over to her, “just relax.” He said, distant.

He gripped the stake tight, lined it up with his best estimation of where her heart was, and-

“Jinx!” Her sister yelled running up the stairs, boots landing heavy against wood.

Caitlyn turned to Jinx, and saw the stake raised above her. “You snake!” She hissed. She slapped the stake, sending it flying against the wall. Vi was getting closer.

Caitlyn laughed to herself, grabbing his jaw and pulling it towards her. She kissed him hard.

The door flung open, and Vi stood at the doorway, catching her breath, her jaw dropping at the sight.

“Jinx?” She asked, her voice breaking.

Caitlyn tossed him to the side like a rag, he stumbled to gather his balance.

Caitlyn was in bed one moment, and the next was standing in front of the window, clothes gathered in her arm. “Oh, and Jinx? Don’t forget about our deal.”

Vi aimed her crossbow, and fired a bolt at the woman, who once again disappeared before it could strike true.

Vi turned to Jinx then. “Deal? What deal?” She demanded, “Jinx, what the fuck did you do?”

Jinx stood there, shaking his head, watching the window.

“I tried to kill her.” He said, Vander appeared then beside Vi, peaking into the room.

“What’s going on, Vi, what’s wrong?” Vander asked, grabbing her shoulder.

Vi didn’t answer, she narrowed her eyes, glaring at her brother. “You fucked her, didn’t you? Was it worth it?” She shook Vander’s hand off and stomped towards him, shoving her brother. “You sacrificed everything for what? For her? What did she promise you?” The accusations came flying then.

“I tried to kill her!” Jinx screamed, defensively. “I tried to fucking kill her, before you had to make your presence known to the whole goddamn world!”

“Kill her? You were tonguing her throat when I came in! What— were you trying to suffocate her?”

“I had a plan!”

“A plan to kill Vander? A plan to ruin this life we have? You really are a fucking Jinx.” She pushed him again. “If I find,” she said, her words weighty “that you’re still here by morning. I’ll kill you myself.”

“Vi— listen, it’s not what it seems!”

But she was already out the door, and making her way down the stairs. Vander watched her go, and turned to Jinx.

Jinx wanted him to say something, anything, it didn’t matter how harsh. But all he did was shake his head, and walk away.

That was perhaps the most hurtful thing he could’ve done.

Chapter Text

“Violet, calm down.” Vander said, leaning back against the dining room table. “You heard your sister, you should trust her.”

“How can you even say that? You saw him in bed with a vampire. Not just any vampire— Caitlyn-fucking-Kiramman, for Christ’s sake.” Vi crossed her arms, dropping herself into a chair.

“You don’t know the circumstances that led up to this.” He was about to continue, before he was interrupted with a harsh laugh.

“Oh, but I do! That deal? Caitlyn offered the same thing to me. An opportunity, for ‘all that I could ever want’” She used melodramatic air-quotes, rocking her head with each word. “In exchange for killing you. You want to know what I did? I didn’t fuck her, I tried to kill her.”

Vi’s anger blinded her to the fact she had just admitted to disobeying Vander’s wishes. A mistake she realized once she saw the disappointed frown on his face.

“You went out alone?” He asked simply.

“Well- I-”

“No, Vi. That’s enough,” he stood, “you’re not prepared to hunt solo. This is what happens, you expose danger not just to yourself, but your sister.”

“He’s not my sister.” Vi said.

Vander shook his head. “You keep saying that, ‘He,’ ‘Brother,’ but she’s none of those things! Look at her, don’t be ridiculous. Powder’s a woman.”

Vi was thoroughly distracted from the previous topic now. She always had trouble staying on track. ”It’s a waste of time to talk to either of you.” She turned her eyes away from him, crossing her arms tighter.

Vander stood, shaking his head. “You girls need to stick together. You’re family, you’re all each other has.”

Vi looked back up at him, “We have you.”

“Look at me, I’m old, I won’t be around for long even if a vampire doesn’t kill me in my sleep.”

Vi thought about it. Maybe she was being too harsh on her brother. Maybe that was what drove him to such a betrayal. She had to find forgiveness, especially for family. It was what she was always taught to do.

“Fine, I’ll talk to him.” She said finally.

“Good, I’ll be in my office. Tell her to come see me once you’re both done.” He said, leaving her alone in the dining room.

For a long moment Vi sat there in silence, simmering. She knew she should talk to Jinx, that she should make things better again. But she couldn’t bring herself to find her goodwill just yet.

Many minutes of sulking later, she pushed herself out of the seat, and began up the stairs. She knocked on her brother's door.

“Jinx, you in there? Look, I’m sorry for what I said. Just open up, let’s talk.” She waited, tapping her foot impatiently. “Come on man, open up.” She knocked again, and no response.

She grew immediately tired of waiting, “I’m coming in,” she said, with just about no warning at all.

Her eyes fell on the empty room, no sign of her brother. His gear was missing, his closet was in ruins and emptied.

“Fuck, fucking hell.”

His window was wide open, he must’ve escaped through it.

Part of their training involved learning how to track down vampires. Everything left a trail, and the only difference between human tracks and blood-beasts was that the beasts left less marks in their wake.

Humans were comically simple to track, a fact she knew Jinx was well aware of, which meant he’d probably be extra cautious, leaving false clues to confuse her.

Unfortunately for Jinx, no one knew him better than her, and she would find him. She had to.

——

Dawn had come, and thin rays of sunshine pierced through the smog blanketing the sky.

Vi had spent the night slowly letting Jinx slip further through her fingers. She called for him periodically, when she thought he might be close.

If he ever heard her, he gave no sign. She tracked him across London overnight, he seemed intent on wasting her time, going in circles around buildings, disappearing into dead ends. It was clear he did not want to be found.

The trail went cold once the streets turned lively, covering up any trace of her brother through carriages trafficked in the street and the bustling of men starting their day.

She desperately tried to keep hold on the trail, but it was lost before the morning sun fully rose.

She wandered the streets of London aimlessly, searching for her brother.

Chapter Text

Nearly two weeks had passed since Jinx left his old family behind, and he found life on the streets enlightening.

His life was no doubt less comfortable than it was before his departure, and he found himself longing for the things he thought innate, privileges he didn’t even realize he possessed.

He had to struggle to find steady sleeping arrangements, to gather enough coin to ensure he ate that night.

The men he found himself associated with were no kinder. He missed the inherent respect his sister gave him, even if at times it had not been enough.

It was incredibly isolating, something that Jinx learned to enjoy.

It gave him time to tinker with his weapons, he found his crossbow’s greatest weakness was the time it took to reload. He knew this pitfall came to gunpowder weapons too, which is why Vander had always opted not to use them. Their only advantage, he’d say, was the power and speed behind the projectile. A factor which mattered not when it came to skilled marksmanship.

Jinx, for his part, was sure there was more to it than that. But he never questioned his mentor. Not directly, at any rate.

He still practiced exclusively with a crossbow as his ranged weapon, but was always making modifications. Vi had praised his work, even if she never used it for herself. His newest creation since he left had been turning his crossbow into a functional repeater. He messed with the specifics for days, before finding a way to incorporate the repeater into something detachable, making for easy concealment.

His time on the streets, inventions aside, has been relatively dull. He’s had only two kills, one a landlord who preyed on his tenants when they posed an issue, and another a Dutchman, who sold foreign goods he stole from his voyages across the globe.

Neither had been particularly thrilling, in fact they felt almost like a secondary chore that he needed completing before he could focus on more important matters.

Matters such as his lodgings, which he had since found a semi-consistent place to sleep.

It was the top floor of a now abandoned factory. Construction had started some years ago, but stopped once the company went bankrupt, nothing had been done with the thing since.

It was here where he found what would come to be his new family.

It happened as he slept, a foot nudging his arm. He knew before he even opened his eyes that there was a weapon pointing at him. He also knew this person wasn’t a killer, otherwise he’d already been dead.

Weighing his options, he opened his eyes.

A shining, silver sword pointed down at his chest, held confidently by its wielder, who was clad in thick robes, which wrapped around their whole body, save their eyes. He saw white paint in the middle of their face, but couldn’t make out what it was as it disappeared behind the mask of cloth.

Jinx slowly raised his arms above his head, nodding. “I’ll leave, no need to get violent.”

“I know you.” Said the pile of robes with eyes. It had a man’s voice.

Jinx was now sitting upright, making a real effort to move as sluggishly as possible “That’s a good thing, I hope?” He asked

“Could be. I’m not sure yet. Where’s the other one, why are you alone?” The other questioned.

“My sister is not my babysitter, I’m alone because I want to be. Do I need more of a reason?” He was on his feet now.

“Yes, smile.” He demanded.

Oh, so that’s what it was. “Look man, I’m not a fucking vampire, okay?”

Suddenly the blade was thrust forward, poking against his chest. “Teeth, show them.” A warning, and likely the only one.

Jinx rolled his eyes, and gave a dramatically sarcastic smile, revealing that, no, he was not a vampire.

Immediately the other man sheathed his sword, and fell to a knee, grabbing Jinx’s hand in both of his own. “My greatest apologies, it’s just a precaution. You understand, I hope.”

The man pressed his forehead against Jinx’s knuckles, and looked back up at him.

Jinx was utterly dumbfounded at this development. His hands were cupped in this stranger's gloves, he’d never been treated in such a way. It felt almost sinful he allowed it to continue for so long.

“Who are you?” Jinx asked.

The man immediately shot up, tugging the robes off his face, letting them fall to his shoulders. Jinx was right, there was face paint, though it was odd. It was in the shape of an hourglass, spanning from just above his brow ridge, and ending at the base of his nose. Jinx could swear he’s seen it before.

The sides of his head were buzzed, and his hair was in locks, pulled into a knot at the back of his skull.

“Names Ekko.” He extended a gloved hand, Jinx shook it.

“Jinx,” he replied.

“Jinx? Oh- I thought your name was-”

“It’s Jinx now, I’m a new man.” He said, trying to subtly make his point.

Ekko seemed unsure for a brief second, but immediately replaced with an understanding nod.

“Listen, this is sudden and probably unprofessional. But I’m part of an organization- I, well, we are vampire hunters, like you.”

That’s where Jinx had seen that symbol before. It was printed on flyers hung across London, usually surrounded by phrases like ‘You have nothing to lose but your chains,’ and ‘Join the fight against capitalism!’

Jinx scoffed, then, turning away. He heard plenty of what they were about from eavesdropping on the streets. Idealists with dreams of utopia.

“You’re not vampire hunters. You’re at best another group seeking political power.” He said, “I’ve seen your flyers, I’ve heard of you. I’m not interested.” He started gathering his items into his bags.

“Wait, wait! Hear me out, at least. I checked you, didn’t I? Why would I do that if I’m not a hunter?” He pressed.

Jinx shrugged, “So you know of their existence. Am I supposed to be impressed?”

“Listen, we both know that vampires are rarely the, what do they call it? The dregs of society. They’re always business owners, merchants, effectively royalty.”

Jinx looked at him, “Your point?”

“My point is,” he continued, “that my organization seeks to bring down these power structures. There is no doing that without eliminating the vampiric threat. They are two goals with the same end.” He said.

He supposed that was true. Surely if all the vampires died tomorrow, there would be great political change, a change in favor of what Ekko desired.

“What’s in it for me?” Jinx inquired.

“A bed- an actual bed, and a room. We have a hideout, got a chef too. You’ll like him, I think.” Ekko seemed anxious, if he was their spokesperson, it’s no wonder their party had no traction.

Jinx shrugged, that all sounded too irresistible. He wanted his old comforts back. Even just some semblance of temporary stability was better than this. “Sure, I’ll join you.” He said, “let me just grab my things.”

Chapter Text

Steel clashed, the deafening sound reverberated off the metal sheeting lining the walls. Vi was losing, and would soon die if this did not change.

She had been chased through the streets of Whitechapel after being found at the scene of a crime, caused by a vampire. Naturally, Scotland Yard did not believe her story of just happening upon the mutilated corpse of a sex worker.

This had been the third in a series of gruesome murders. Vi was investigating independently, it had been of great interest to her the last few weeks. Not solely due to the proximity.

She slashed the knee of one officer, and threw down a firework of smoke. It exploded upon impact with the ground, creating a flashing light, then engulfing the alleyway in a thick grey. Vi turned heel and ran in a maze of directions, turning down whatever street crossed her path, not thinking of the direction. Her only goal now was to lose her tail, until then she just kept her feet moving.

The herd of officers began scattering like roaches through Whitechapel, infesting every open space. She heard the shouting of commands echoing, citizens yelling at the Yard to leave, to keep it down, let them sleep.

Vi listened intently for where the police could be. The footsteps grew louder, faster. The noise surrounded her, she could hear the clattering of chains— handcuffs? The air felt heavy, making it hard to breathe. The stomping came from the next street over at first, then from her own street. She spun, searching for the guards, but she saw none of them. In the distance she thought she heard the beginnings of a scream, cut short.

The steps came from above her, on the rooftops, had they already made their way up there? She begun the chase once more, sprinting down empty streets.

The noises kept pace with her, exceeded her. Had they gotten more guards, if so where were they? Why were they hiding from her?

All these questions were answered without any need for exchanging words. A chain flew out from an alley, wrapping itself around Vi’s leg. The force of it stung as it slammed into her knee, sending her stumbling. It was pulled taut, and caught itself at her ankle. The force behind it was intense, pulling her down into the darkness, leaving no room for her to struggle.

Hands covered her mouth, her arms were restrained behind her back with another chain. For a brief moment she thought it might be Maddie, but that was quickly discarded when she heard the voice.

Lips came just beside her ear, whispering, “It’ll be okay.”

A bag went over her head, and something hard struck her in the nose.

——

Vi threw the newspaper on her mentor’s desk, a photo of three masked figures, standing tall, drawn onto the cover. It was impossible to make out who they were, though, faces obscured in black. The header read, “Political Vigilantes Hunting Aristocracy, Claims Vampirism.”

Vander looked up at her, eyebrow raised. “What’s this?”

“The description of the Three Musketeers here is vague. But it’s Jinx, I know it is. Read it.” She pushed the paper closer. “I know it’s him. I’m going to find him.”

Vander shook his head for a moment, letting out a deep breath. “Your sibling has grown, Vi. The bird has left the nest, despite the circumstances, you have to let her go.”

Vi leaned forward against his desk. It wasn’t as organized as it usually had been. Writing utensils were scattered, tossed aside without care, papers piled up in failing stacks. He had not taken the loss too well himself.

“Vander, I have to do this. I have to get my brother back.”

“Powder…” he said, leveling his voice, “has made her decision of her own free will.”

“My brother.” She said, allowing it to hang in the air. “Jinx was forced out of this house, and I take responsibility for my actions. But you, Vander, you refuse to see the truth. You’re a mess. This house is a mess, and it’ll remain as such until you accept him back into this home as your son. As Jinx.” She huffed. “I was beginning to think maybe it was my fault he was gone. That I was too harsh. But he’s heard much worse from me, but he knew I always respected him, always loved him. That’s all he ever wanted from you.”

To this, Vander had nothing at all to say. Vi turned away, slamming the door shut on her way out.

In the silence of his office, he stared at the newspaper.

——

Vi hadn’t kept track of how long it’d been since her last interaction with her brother. He first made the newspaper four days ago, when she scolded her mentor. They had not talked since.

Vi was trying to recall everything that led up to this moment, what series of events strung her along to get chained up to a wooden chair, black bag over her face, head throbbing from a remembered strike.

Whispers came from the room, though she couldn’t make out the contents. It sounded conspiratorial, two parties disagreeing on the course of action. She could hear their voices start to rise, before catching themselves, lowering their volume once more.

So all she had to do was make some noise. Which might’ve been easy, if she could gather her senses. The world, miraculously, dizzied her. A miracle due to the intense deprivation she had of said world. A deprivation which was about to be, to her slight dismay, entirely undone.

A hand pulled off the bag with an all too aggressive tug. Without hesitation an intense flame came to her face, its heat stung her.

“Vi, Vi…” sung the man. “We’re going to have quite the payment after we dispose of you. Do you know that?”

Vi twisted her shoulder, tugging her arms against the chair. “Who are you?” She hissed.

A laugh, and then a slap across her face. “That’s for you to never find out.”

The man, a vampire she presumed due to the fact that they were the only party that wanted her dead more than the police; and this was clearly not a station.

The presumed vampire monologued, “Vi…Violet, is it? Your sibling, sister-brother, has been quite a hassle as of late. You’re here to act as bait. If not for the freak, then for daddy Vander. He ought to come running when he gets wind. We’ll sell all three of you off, if we’re to be so lucky. But even just two of you would be enough to set us up for life.”

Vi scoffed, “really think I’m worth so much?”

“No, not alone. But as I said, you and your freak of a sibling approximate one Vander. He—well. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you what he’s worth.”

This much was true, not only because she was very well aware of how desperately the beasts wanted Vander, but also because this vampires nasally voice was beginning to grain on her senses. She longed for deafness.

He, regretfully, felt it imperative to keep speaking, “We sent your location to them. Don’t give me that look, of course we know where your sibling is.”

Vi rolled her eyes, leaning back into the chair until she found a position that resembled comfortable. She watched another Vampire come in.

“Someone’s here,” he said from the doorway, he sounded as though there was a gun at his back. The monologuing vampire turned to him and said, “Who, Vander?”

“No, she’s kin.” The man’s voice shuddered, he was visibly shaking.

“Let me go talk to her then.” Said the captor.

A woman’s voice echoed around the damp room, she was shadowed in the far corner. Vi knew that voice.

“You have something I want.” Said Caitlyn, stepping into the light. “That girl there. Give her to me, and you may all live yet.”

“Like hell I’m giving her to you, after all the effort I went through murdering those young girls, playing the waiting game. You’re not going to just take my prize away from me.”

Caitlyn clicked her tongue. “Good.” Vi could almost hear the smile creeping across her face.

The distressed beast died first. Kiramman crossed the room in a flash, meeting the servile vampire where he stood. He went to strike her, it was a poor attempt, as she simply grabbed his wrist and twisted it. A bone audibly snapped, and splintered out of the skin. Caitlyn’s arm reeled back, before puncturing straight through his heart. When she withdrew, it came out slicked in blood. The presumed mastermind behind Vi’s kidnapping had a stroke of genius, or cowardice, and recognized he would not win this fight. He escaped through the door while Caitlyn was preoccupied.

Caitlyn made as though she was about to chase him, but turned her eyes on the hunter that sat bound to the chair.

Vi struggled, rocking back and forth, eventually throwing herself backwards, the chair fell to the ground, splitting in two upon crashing. Before Vi could take advantage of this small victory, Caitlyn was above her, staring down at her.

“Don’t fret, hunter.” She said, pressing the talon that is her thumbnail to her top lip, slitting it open. Crimson coated her like lipstick, and she leaned down, her mouth lowering to Vi’s own.

The bound woman turned her head away, the muscles in her neck straining with the viciousness of the whiplash. Caitlyn tsk’d, grabbing the woman’s jaw. Her fingers pressed hard against Vi’s cheeks, forcing her face back. She pressed her lips against the others, holding it until the blood was smothered thoroughly across both their mouths.

Vi blinked at Caitlyn, confusion at first, then a writhing frustration. “Let me out of these chains and I’ll kick your ass myself, Kiramman.” She spat.

Caitlyn shook her head. “You’ll do no such thing. Your brother is on his way, as is your mentor. Spend too much time playing, and they’ll surely be dead.”

Vi huffed, but knew she couldn’t kill Caitlyn in a straight fight anyway, not in these circumstances. Besides, she wasn’t going to provoke a beast who had clearly allowed her to live when she didn’t have to.

Caitlyn, once she saw Vi was sufficiently dulled in her bloodlust, undid her chains, and Vi took no time at all to be on her feet and running to the door. Caitlyn called after her “Your shits down the hall to the right.”

Vi was already gone, but she paid enough attention to her savior to gather her gear from the storage room. She haphazardly strapped on her belt and loaded her crossbow.

She heard yelling from the floor below her, which was curious, a moment ago it was near silent.

A voice called through the distance, “Violet! Say something!”

Vander.

He was here, then, no doubt in the midst of a trap. Still, he had really come for her. She hadn’t expected it at all, nor did she expect what he’d say next.

“Jinx! Inside, there’s a back entrance—Go!” His voice eclipsed everything else. Vi was running to it, a light guiding her through the darkness.

Her brother too, though she could not hear him she knew his movements better than his own. She knew where to meet him, after she reconnected with Vander. Maybe God had blessed her, she thought, perhaps this was an opportunity for a new beginning. For the family to once more be together. She longed for the days of sharing a dinner with her brother, knowing her mentor was just a knock away. She wanted nothing more than to teach him— train with him again.

She called out to them. At least, she tried, her voice caught in her throat. Nothing came out. A ringing grew louder in her head, parallel to the pain numbing her skull. She dropped to her knees, hands clasped desperately around her ears, trying to block the sound.

It only got exponentially louder, until it was an all encompassing white, blinding her eyes to the high pitched ringing, she could think of nothing, could not feel the nerves in her fingers.

Just as it became entirely too unbearable, it stopped.

Footsteps hurried down the hallway, a vampire. She couldn’t quite understand how she knew it was coming, or that it was a vampire. She raised her crossbow all the same, and fired blindly into the darkness of the hall.

She heard it strike true, followed by the hissing of the beast.

Something was wrong.

She felt the blood in her veins, really felt it. She could hear the beating of a heart, and the non-beating of vampire hearts, which only served to confuse her more.

She could feel two living souls except herself, and around a dozen or so of the dead.

It was hard to think, but she was never quite proficient at that anyway. She forced herself to rise once more, and find Vander.

She made it free of the house after a brief mishap of falling down the stairs and stumbling to the door. Something she immediately chose to forget happened. Her brother was still around back, no doubt fighting off the four undead hearts she could hear not-pumping. Which, how she heard something not functioning, she did not care to investigate.

Her mind ached again, her sight blurred. It took her a beat to steady her vision, and take in the sight in front of her.

The front of the house was a veritable party of ashen remains, scurrying vampires, and a bloodied hulking man tearing through the hoard with a determination that even unsettled Vi.

The look on Vander’s face was a horrific glee when he got his hands around a vampire’s throat, pinning it to the ground. The surrounding hoard seemed to be mesmerized by the sight.

The vampire he had in his grasp was a truly remarkable specimen, it matched Vander in size, only bigger in its height. All the more impressive that Vander was able to restrain something of this might. Not only that, he was damn near about to kill it.

Vi oriented herself, and withdrew her crossbow, aiming it at the substantial vampire. She yelled to Vander, “Move! Get out of the way!” He looked towards her, standing, letting the grip off the beast. His eyes hung on her, as if examining her.

The vampire on the ground stood. Its face was ghastly, a melting mass of flesh, hardly discernible. Its skin so grey and rotted she could hardly believe the thing was able to stand.

It reached out to her, taking slow steps. She thought she heard it talk, but there was nowhere for it to speak from, no eyes for it to see, the eroded lump of meat where its nose used to be had no nostrils to smell from. It was utterly inhuman. Vi loathed it.

It played weak, trying to gain sympathy. A trick her brother might be empathetic enough to fall for, but nonetheless a trick Vander had told her to consider as a direct insult upon her skills as a hunter.

She let loose the bolt, it pierced through the beast's heart. It stood, struggling to comprehend what had happened. It reached, holding the bolt in its chest. It slumped forward, onto its knees, its grey face never moving away from staring at her. It died before her, falling hard onto the road.

All the vampires watched her, mouths shut tight, and looked over to Vander.

Vander said not a word, instead, took slow steps to Vi. Reaching out its hand, inviting her. The vampires appeared to be too afraid of him, of what he could do. Now they too were afraid of her, they dared not approach.

Vi reached out in kind to Vander, opening her arms to hug him, to rejoice that he was okay.

A squelching sound, then a horribly joyful laugh. Vander went still.

Another squelch, and his body stuffed back, as another grunt came. A third immediately after, followed by a stake impaling fully threw him. It twisted, and was pulled out.

Vi’s face contorted in horror as she watched Vander slump to the ground unceremoniously.

“You bastards!” Yelled Jinx, standing in front of her, bloody wooden stake in hand. “You’re all going to die.”

He did not even take a moment to meet his sister's gaze, before he started slaughtering the blood-beasts. They swarmed at him, and he spun, shooting his repeater into every undead that came his way.

Another hunter appeared, covered in thick robes. They wielded a sword of silver, that sliced cleanly through Vampires.

A third, who was clearly a woman, only her face was masked. She had a metal prosthetic arm, steam pumping out of it. Her other hand held an old dagger, made of a dark, strange metal. She was as ruthless as Jinx, though clearly had years more of experience.

The hoard's numbers were thinned without the help of Vi, who sat besides Vander, holding her hands over the hole in his chest, praying to God to bring him back.

Next thing Vi knew she was being tackled by Jinx. A loving embrace, a gesture she hadn’t expected. One she entirely rejected.

Jinx sang “Good God, Vi! Good God, you’re alive.” He buried his head in her shoulder.

Vi was not so quick to join the reunion, shoving him off, crawling backwards, away. “You- you killed him. You monster, you devil. You killed Vander.” Her voice shuddered and her mind ached once more. She could not make out the expression on Jinx’s face, just that his head was shaking. He said something she did not hear.

She yelled thoughtlessly, throwing herself at Jinx, who guarded his face.

Vi was caught by the hunter with the prosthetic arm, and shoved away, a dagger extended towards her. Vi knew it was a warning.

She cared not. She withdrew her own dagger, and made to charge.

She was caught before she could, “not now.” Said Caitlyn, who wrapped her arm around Vi’s waist. “She’ll live another day. As I said, no harm should befall your sister, Jinx.”

Caitlyn held tight around Vi, who screamed for freedom. They fled into the night, out the back of the building. She flew atop rooftops, her feet barely touching the ground before pushing her forward several meters. The unnatural speed made Vi uneasy, tapping Caitlyn to stop.

The vampire dropped her once they were sufficiently far from the hunters. Vi vomited, falling to her hands and knees. Tears filled her eyes.

“He’s- he’s dead.” She said, barely holding back gagging on the stomach acid in her throat. She vomited again.

“He killed him- Vander, he’s dead.”

Caitlyn got on one knee, and rubbed Vi’s back in consolation.

Chapter Text

He chased after them into the streets, his guttural screams tore at his throat, leaving him with a distinct taste of blood. He watched as his sister was stolen from him, gone faster than he could fully process.

He rested his hands on his knees, his body trembling from fear. She was gone, and quite possibly now dead. He couldn’t rid himself of the disgust that he was unable to save his sister.

“Jinx! He’s not dead!” Ekko called, crouching behind the body of Vander, who had been rolled over onto his back. A crossbow bolt stuck out from his sternum. Beside him lay the vampire he had been struggling with, the one Jinx had impaled just before it took his sister's life. A hole pierced through its dead heart.

Jinx ran over, feeling a horrible pain in his chest. He was relieved that Vander was alive, so he thought. He was relieved that he mistook him for dead, that maybe the family could still be saved.

It didn’t look good, it had hit him dangerously near the heart. Blood pooled around him, his shirt was soaked through with the shades of brown and red.

Jinx kneeled beside him, desperately wrapping his hands around the base of the bolt, trying to seal the wound.

“Jinx, a bolt—vampires don’t, well, it’s not their weapon of choice.” Ekko said.

“God dammit. No, no, don’t tell me that. Don’t tell me that.” Jinx said, shaking his head frantically. “My sister, she wouldn’t, she loved him.”

Tears welled at the corner of his eyes. His lips struggled to keep still, tightening and shuddering. He shut his eyes, and allowed himself to cry. Tears fell down his face, falling into the red spreading below him.

A hand, large and familiar, reached up and touched his cheek. It rested there for a moment, before wrapping around the back of his neck, and beckoned him downward, into Vander’s chest.

Jinx gasped desperately for air, allowing his mentor to hold him. “Jinx,” Vander said, his voice coming out in deep, struggling breaths. “Your sister…she didn’t mean…a spell.” He could hardly manage a full sentence, ending them prematurely, forcing differing thoughts to fit together.

Jinx looked up at him, “save your breath, Vander. We’ll save you. You’ll be okay, they’re all dead. You’re okay, right? You’ll be okay, won’t you?” Jinx, juxtaposing the other man, was panicked and hasty with his words, unable to speak them fast enough. Vander simply shook his head in response.

“You’re the man, now…save her…save Violet. My son, for me…” a pained cough interrupted him, blood erupting from his mouth. “I love you, Jinx…Save your sister.”

His head lolled to the side, eyes defocusing on his surroundings. His hand grew limp, and his grasp on Jinx weakened. It fell to the ground.

Vander died, then, before Jinx, who seemed, for several long moments, entirely unresponsive to this. His mouth was stuck, parted slightly in shock. His gaze was glued to the corpse in front of him, his hands still holding desperately to the entrance wound.

“Vander?” He asked, as if this whole thing was some cruel joke. Some final attempt to justify his resentment.

There was no punchline that came. The man he had admired most since his youth was now dead. He spent his final moments giving Jinx, his newly recognized son, now patriarch to the family, a task. A final hunt to bid him welcome into this new life without his mentor, a final hunt to say goodbye to the life he had known.

Jinx wiped the tears against his sleeve, only smearing some blood across his cheek. He looked up to Ekko, to the other cloaked hunter, Sevika. “We’ve got to save my sister.”

——

“Absolutely not,” Ekko slammed his sword down onto the table, restraining it by handle and blade, as though it might escape his grasp. “We’re not walking into the lion's den and getting ourselves killed, Jinx.”

“We won’t be the ones getting killed,” he responded, rubbing the bridge of his nose with his index and thumb. “The plan is as close to flawless as we can get.”

“But it isn’t, we know next to nothing about your sister now. We can’t risk our lives because of a hunch. Why did she kill Vander, Jinx? Why would she allow herself to be kidnapped by Caitlyn fucking Kiramman? She’s not a rookie. She’s a seasoned hunter, she can’t just be carried off into the sunset like some fairy tale princess unless that’s exactly what she wanted.”

Sevika shrugged, leaning back in a distraught wooden chair. She kicked her legs up on the table and crossed her arms over her chest. “It’s a good point.”

“No, it isn’t. You both heard Vander. A spell, he said. She’s under a spell. There must be some way to break it.”

Ekko shook his head, “The extent to which vampires can use magick is, admittedly, understudied, but all research that has been done suggests the victim must be, in some way, a willing participant of the spell.”

Jinx scoffed, “I know my sister, she is perhaps the only person alive more prejudiced towards the undead than Vander was. There is no world in which she has the inkling of a desire to become one of those beasts of hell.”

Ekko looks at Sevika, begging for assistance.

“I knew a man once, toughest, most vile man I ever met. He was a hunter, loathed vampires religiously. Hunt their heads from his carriage, decorated his home with their remains.” She paused, whether for dramatic effect or to recount the tale wasn’t clear. Her face was stoic and serious. “His whole family, killed by the wretches. He made it his life mission to avenge them, his bloodlust was so…intoxicating to him. To everyone. I love dangerous men.”

Ekko quirked an eyebrow, “Is this nostalgic remembrance going somewhere or are you just trying to fill the air with stories of yesteryear?”

She didn’t acknowledge him, instead saying, “He became a thrall. A spell that vampires inflict onto humans. So it’s said that it is spread through a kiss tainted with the beast's blood.”

“He couldn’t have been so hateful if he made out with one of those things.” Jinx said, fully aware of and ignoring the blatant hypocrisy.

“All that’s needed is the consumption of the vampire's blood. Who the kiss is from matters, to my knowledge, not at all. One night with a prostitute was all he needed. Some poor girl forced to wear lipstick coated in the things blood. He started hallucinating, said she was a vampire. Killed her and half the damn brothel by the time we put him down.”

“That doesn’t make sense,” Jinx said, “if that was the case, why don’t they just do that mystical bullshit to every prosty out there and get half the men in London under their control?”

It was Ekko who chimed in, “To our knowledge, vampires are limited in the number of thralls they can have. It depends on the fortitude of their mind, we think. We also know it takes a lot out of them, it’s like having a second consciousness you need to be aware of, echoing in the back of your brain.”

“Okay, so, what? We’re now in agreement that Vi can be saved?” Jinx asked. “I’m guessing we kill whoever she’s enthralled to—Caitlyn—and that’s it? So let’s go. We know where the Kiramman’s live.” Jinx looked over to Sevika, attempting to gain her support.

“Look, kid.” She said, planting her feet on the ground, leaning onto one knee. “The Kiramman family is a big name in London. Their estate is under constant protection of the Yard—and we don’t know how many thralls she has, or if she has a security detail made up exclusively of god knows how many vamps. It’s just suicide.” She stood up, tapping the table twice. “It’s late, we all need rest. We’ll do the eulogy for Vander in the morning.” She left The Room.

They were staying in their usual haunt, an abandoned factory partially remolded to accommodate living. It was another case of a company failing to invest into industry and failing economically. The banks owned the building now, but it had been left alone for sometime, too expensive of a project to renovate or remove. It had become a home to the unhoused of outer London, these three managing their own floor, highest up in the building. There were enough rooms for them all on the fourth floor, which must’ve at one point served as an office area. Scrap sheets hung over windows and they were illuminated by a plethora of oil lamps and candles scattered on most surfaces. Sevika had a room near the area that served as their meeting space, war room, dining room, a lounge, and such a variety of other utilities that they have taken to simply calling it ‘The Room.’

Sevika’s absence from The Room essentially killed any hopes of future discussion. Jinx and Ekko would regularly meet stalemates, in which Sevika would serve to resolve.

They instead exchanged glances, arguing without words, trying to determine if they could settle this with the might of their gaze alone.

They could not, and Jinx got up in a huff and left to his bedroom, leaving Ekko alone.

——

Hours passed and Jinx knocked on Sevika’s door. He heard an inviting hum from inside, and allowed himself in, shutting the door quietly behind him.

She was still dressed in her hunting clothes, she rarely left them. She told Jinx once it was too difficult to get the shirt off of her mechanical arm, and so she tried to change only as needed. She kept up better hygiene than the two boys to compensate for this fact.

“Sevvy?” Jinx asked, sheepishly walking over. He was not himself dressed to kill anymore, in a worn out onesie pajama.

“Yes?” Sevvy said, busying herself with her mechanical arm. “You know I hate it when you call me that, right?” The faintest semblance of a smirk crossed her face. She made space on her bed for Jinx.

Jinx sat beside her, “I know that’s not true.” He tapped a finger on his knee anxiously. “Do you believe there’s any hope for my sister?” He asked bluntly.

Sevika responded in kind, “Escaping being a thrall is—it’s hard. Some don’t survive the spell at all. Did Vander not inform you guys of this?” She asked.

Jinx shrugged, “Maybe he meant to, he taught us celibacy for sometime, maybe that was why. Neither Vi nor myself listened, though—teenagers.” He lost himself in thought briefly. “You know I’m still going to try it, right?”

Sevika caught his meaning, “You’ll be putting yourself in the sort of danger I’m sure you were raised to avoid.”

“Since when are you so afraid, Sevvy? You always encourage my plans, you’re always by my side, you love a fight, so why now, why cower away? Why hide from this?” Jinx asked, he hated the way his voice sounded, rising and petulant. He rested his hand on the side of her neck, “Please.” He asked, he could feel the tears forming at the ridges of his eyes. “I can’t lose her—my sister. She’s all I have left.”

He felt the coldness of the metal arm wrap around him, and the warm flesh of the other pull him closer. He let himself be enveloped in the woman, a mass of meat and muscle. He buried his face into her shoulder, and let the water fall from his eyes. “We’re here for you, kid. You’ll always have me. You’ll always have Ekko.” She said, petting him as gently as she could manage.

“Thank you.” He said through shuddered breaths. He looked up at her, knowing his face was a red, wet mess right now. Still she stared back at him with her own kind of love. Her apathetic stoicism was ever-present, and yet there radiated a sense of deep rooted anger in her. Through the intense stare was respect. A respect for him to meet his gaze and treat him as an equal. He adored her for that.

He couldn’t take his eyes off her, an urge building with him. He thrusted his face towards hers, planting a kiss against her mouth. He swung his legs over her lap and straddled her. He wrapped his arms desperately around her neck, and held it as deeply as he could.

He found her own arms grabbing his waist, and it sent a shiver through his gut. There was a pit in his chest. A bundle of nerves and desire, festering and burning. He was feeding off the despair, calling to him to indulge in this with her.

She tightened her grip and stood up, lifting him up like it was no weight at all. She held the kiss, turned, and laid him back on the bed, pressing her body atop his.

Her hands shifted down to his legs, she began to spread them, pushing her pelvis against his.

Jinx’s ecstasy was broken when she broke the kiss, he chased after it, but she planted a hand to his chest and held him down, away. “No,” she said.

She stood, and made some distance between the two. “We can’t do this.” Sevika said.

Jinx sat up looking her up and down, a confusion and hurt showered his face. “Why not, is something wrong? Did I do something? I’m sorry, Sevvy, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“”No, it’s- it isn’t that. Look, you’re strong, and deadly. And I like that, it’s hot stuff. But— you’re too vulnerable right now. I’m not going to take advantage of that.”

“Sevika, listen it’s really okay-”

“I’m sorry, Jinx. It’s a no.” She said firmly, and Jinx knew there was no winning. “It’s best if you head to bed, in your own quarters. We have the eulogy in a few. Get some rest.”

Jinx nodded, standing and straightening himself. He wiped the remaining tears off his face. He held himself as high as he could muster, but he was burning hot with more feelings than he knew he had.

He stepped out of the room, Sevika leaving him with a brisk “Sleep well.” When the door shut, Jinx considered if he felt brutally ashamed of himself enough to try his luck with Ekko. He thought better of it almost immediately. He didn’t want to tarnish that relationship—and Sevika would certainly murder the both of them if she found out. So he went to bed.

He did not sleep that night. Too much was on his mind.

At the forefront, he was devising a plan to kill Caitlyn Kiramman.

Chapter Text

Nausea hit Vi so immediately upon waking all she could manage was to turn onto her side and exhume the contents of her stomach.

The vomit spilled out her mouth, and she spat out whatever remained. Her head laid in a pool of her own upchuck, and she realized belatedly that she was laying on a pristine wooden floor.

Her head spun and vision blurred, she couldn’t recall seeing these walls before. The faint glow of a flame flickered from the walls, gothic windows towered, coming to points just below the ceiling. A chandelier hung from the center of the roof, a bright shining sun, blinding Vi even more.

She struggled to make out the details, her sight was unrefined.

“Oh my good god.” She heard a woman say, in a voice too posh to be anyone she’d recognize. “Again? This is the third time today—bloody hell.” The woman huffed, the sound of heels clicking faded away from her. Vi could hear the faint murmur of conversation, but couldn’t discern any actual words.

She couldn’t recall where she was, how she got here, or the circumstances leading up to her being forced to come here. The last thing she recalled was being tied to a chair in a room full of vampires, then it all went black.

She managed to rise to her feet, stumbling in every direction attempting to find her balance. She forced herself to focus on her surroundings once again, taking long, scrutinous moments. The glimmering of light she saw when she woke up were oil lamps, adjacent to the monumental windows. The chandelier was not nearly as bright as it had seemed when she woke up. There was a bed, a thick red sheet covered in a black lace canopied overtop, silk curtains spilling down the sides. There was an oval coffee table at the foot of the bed, it was a mismatched shade of wood, its blandness felt out of place in this overly luxurious bedroom. A tray of pastries sat beside a tea pot and accompanying cups, a note tucked under the pastry tray.

It simply read, “Help yourself.”

As wonderful as it may have been to indulge herself on sweets and tea, she couldn’t bring herself to have any desire to eat with a thick coating of her previous, rejected meal caking half her face. She tore off her coat, about to wipe it off before realizing that it, too, was tainted.

She closed her eyes tight, frustration building inside her. She decided to say a simple ‘fuck you’ to the mystery woman who may be either her captor or savior.

She wiped herself clean with the fabric of the canopy bed. She made a thorough mess of the whole thing, it’d probably need to be entirely replaced. Lucky for the owner, Vi reasoned, she’s obviously incredibly wealthy.

Voices echoed down the hallway, two pairs of footsteps along with them. Vi frisked herself, searching. She found none of her weapons.

She grabbed at her chest, and shoved her hands down the front of her pants. “Oh god-” she said, horrified. They had found her mildly hidden knife and her very hidden knife.

She scanned the room, and found utensils set beside the pastries. She grabbed the butter knife and fork.

Immediately she recognized the metal—or, more accurately she recognized what the metal wasn’t—silver.

Her suspicions had been true, she was in the beasts den now. Which beast was still to be discerned.

The sounds grew nearer, she couldn’t waste anymore time. She hurried quietly beside the door, and pressed her back against the wall, fists curling around the cutlery.

She slowed her breathing, and tried her best to calm her nerves. She had to reason they didn’t want her dead, not yet. They could have killed her if they did.

That would be their undoing, letting her live. She wouldn’t be party to any vampiric games.

The door opened, and only one woman came through. She thought she might recognize her from behind, she wore black men’s formal attire, as though she were attending a ball. Her ginger hair cut into a short shag. She stepped into the room further, pausing when she recognized she could not find Vi.

In one fluid motion, Vi closed the distance, and pressed the butter knife taut to the woman’s throat, and pushed the fork upwards against her submental. She prayed silently to herself that this would work as intimidating, that maybe the woman would not recognize Vi held a fucking butterknife as a weapon.

The woman scoffed, and turned her head minutely, and Vi felt so horribly stupid for not recognizing her sooner.

“Seems we’ve traded places, huh, Vi?” Maddie slowly raised her hands above her head, signaling her surrender. “I’m not here to kill you this time, and you’re not going to kill me.” She said, self assured.

“Yeah? Watch me, asshole.” Vi said, ramming the fork upward, piercing flesh.

She felt the skin pull tight, eventually giving away, Vi got purchase when the fork tore against muscle tissue. She felt a momentary victory, one foe down.

So Vi thought, until a hand caught her wrist and stopped her short of the kill.

Caitlyn’s fingers pressed so firmly into Vi’s skin that she was forced to release the fork. Caitlyn twisted her arm, sending her to her knees.

A pained grunt escaped her. Her whole arm stung terribly, a searing pain pulsing from the restraint.

Maddie stood, still as a statue, except for a trembling of her fingers. Her mind appeared to will her still, despite the desperation to remove the foreign object from her jaw.

Caitlyn threw the arm away from, the force of which sent Vi falling backwards. “Stop it, you big baby. You infant, throwing a tantrum. I saved you, Violet. Show some appreciation and do not attempt to kill my servant.”

Caitlyn grabbed the fork lodged in Maddie, and slowly pulled it out, so snail-like that it was surely more painful than simply tearing it free.

She lifted up the woman’s chin and kissed the point. She gave her servant a brisk smile, turning to Vi.

“Well, now that your bout of emesis is, we can only hope, done. We can talk.”

Vi absolutely hated this idea. She despised even the thought of sharing words with Caitlyn, let alone engaging in full conversation, complimented with bougie home-baked pastries and tea imported from some far away place. She would rather flay the meat from her bones, she’d rather submerge herself in hellfire before she condemned herself to pleasantries with a vampire.

She opened her mouth to say the most vile, repugnant words she could ever imagine, something she might’ve heard Vander express call his bar buddies.

By some cruel, divine intervention, Caitlyn was spared this onslaught. A pressure weighed from all sides against Vi’s skull, a deafening ringing in her ear blocked out all thoughts. All she could process was the harsh pain reverberating through her head.

She pressed her hands desperately to her ears and fell forward, dropping her forehead squarely on the floor. She screamed, she did not—could not, stop screaming.

It went on for what to her felt like many long , grueling hours. Her body writhed, foamy clumps of saliva bubbled out of her mouth.

Just as soon as it came, it vanished. The vise-like pressure was gone, leaving no trace of its existence, as if she had hallucinated the whole thing. Her brain did not ache, there was no leftover ringing fading out of existence. It simply disappeared as though it had never happened. It drove her just as mad, the possibility that it had not happened at all; She tried to focus on any pain she felt at all in her body, but she simply couldn’t find anything—excepting the soreness in her arm.

She lifted her head from the cold wood, and looked up at the vampire standing before her. She held her hand up lazily, elbow resting on her hip bone. Her fingers were stuck in time, she had just snapped. She waited until she was certain Vi had understood, then, like a seriously pompous dick, decided to explain it to Vi anyway.

“Vi, you are under my command now. I am your master and your leader, I decide how much freedom I let you have. I decide at what level of consciousness you function. I do not simply own you, now—I control you. We are a one way current, do you understand?”

Vi blinked, dumbfounded. “What?”

Caitlyn rolled her eyes, letting out a melodramatic huff. “What do you mean, what? I just explained it to you.”

A burst of laughter came from Vi, overtaking her like a disease. She sat up onto her knees, wrapping her arms around her tightening stomach, soothing the soreness. “You couldn’t beat me in a fair fight, so you—what? You think you’ve got me enthralled? That you’re going to be my ol’ ball and chain.”

Vi stood up, licking her lips, she said. “Nice try, sugar tits.” She held up her fists in front of her face, bouncing from one foot to the other. “Tell you what, beat me, right here and now, then maybe I’ll hear what you have to say.” She lied. It was the most obvious lie anyone could ever tell. A vampire hunter would never concede to negotiations with their prey, just the same as a fisher would never debate a fish. It was simply a ridiculous notion.

Yet still, Caitlyn played along. Whether or not she fell for the lie wasn’t wholly clear to Vi, that didn’t matter all too much to her. So long as she could kick her ass, she was satisfied. “You’re such a child. You want to brawl? Really? I have a perfectly comfortable couch, you know. We can be civil.” Caitlyn tried to reason.

“Shove it, you blood sucking bitch-slut-idiot.” Vi said, feeling quite proud of herself.

Caitlyn’s mouth was parted in some sort of repulsion. She sighed, and carelessly raised her arms to her chest. Vi recognized, immediately, that Caitlyn didn’t actually know how to fight. She did not have a fighter’s stance. She was fast, and strong, and probably had some basic training, but actually brawling an opponent who was cornered and desperate and on even footing? She was an amateur. Vi knew it, and she would utilize it well.

“Fine, set the terms. Right now,” Caitlyn said, “if I win, which, of course, I will, then you stop rebelling, and fulfill your role as my servant.”

Vi scoffed, “sure, whatever. If I win then I get to kill you, your girlfriend, and I get to steal all of your fancy shit and become unbelievably rich.”

Usually Vi had a code against killing humans, people who she deemed were innocent and simply under some unholy spell. But Maddie had thoroughly pissed off Vi by now due to her sheer self-assuredness, that she was willing to make an exception. “Oh, and speaking of your girlfriend. She can’t save your ass.”

Caitlyn looked totally aghast, she stood straight, dropping her arms, unsure. “What? No, that’s stupid. You can’t just-”

Vi lunged at her, shoulder ramming hard into the vampire's gut, sending them both to the floor. She had to catch her off guard, she took the opportunity when she had it. They were on the floor then, Vi sitting on the woman’s stomach, hands clasped together, raised above her head. She brought them down fast, Caitlyn jerked her head to the side, sending the hands straight into the floor.

Vi did not hesitate, she grabbed Caitlyn’s neck, squeezing the airways shut. She cocked her fist back, and sent it slamming into her cheek.

Caitlyn hissed, throwing her fists haphazardly into Vi’s torso. As Vi expected, they were fast, and they hit her hard–but they weren’t targeted, she had no idea where to hit, she had no consistency.

It reminded her terribly of how and her brother used to spar, Jinx was always slower to catch onto proper technique than she was.

This time, however, she had nothing holding her back. She could fight to kill.

She swung again, her fist finding purchase against Caitlyn’s jaw. She didn’t stop, she put her full weight onto the woman's neck, shifting her body into each punch.

Caitlyn’s arm rose and clashed forearm against forearm, stopping dead Vi’s attacks. Vi struggled, trying to force her fist to make contact again. She swung her free arm wide, again getting hooked on Caitlyn’s defense.

She growled, and clung tight to the vampire’s arm, as if trying to act as though she was restraining her. The woman was, after all, brutally powerful, and Vi could not hold her down while running on a quarter of energy, even if she put her whole body weight behind it.

She reeled her head back, and slammed it against Caitlyn’s, skulls making contact, Vi’s forehead making contact against her nose. Blood spilled out the nostrils, and for a brief moment it was stuck, crooked and broken. Vi watched, as in only a few moments her bone snapped back into place, the bruising fading before it had the chance to show.

She needed silver. There had to be something in this godforsaken house that contained silver. She took her eyes off Caitlyn, scanning the room.

This momentary lapse gave the vampire the opening she needed. She threw her body to the side, knocking Vi off of her, tumbling to the floor. Caitlyn grabbed Vi’s neck, and charged the wall, pinning her against it. Vi’s hands clasped around her wrist, trying to pull free. She raised her hand, and chopped Caitlyn’s elbow, again and again, giving her a chance for freedom.

Her window was short, and she miscalculated her leg swipe, only kicking her shin into the side of Caitlyn’s calf. She didn’t falter, grabbing Vi’s hair, and tossing her down to the ground without having to even tense a muscle. “You can’t win, hunter. I commend your efforts, really, but this ends now.” The vampire woman said, appearing on top of Vi in a blink, restraining her to the floor, fangs hovering over a particularly vascular part of her neck.

“Submit, or I'll turn you here and now.” She threatened. Vi grunted, trying to pull free, a struggled “no,” escaped her.

“Do it, hunter! Or I’ll sick you on your kin after I turn you.” Hissed Caitlyn.

Vi persisted for a beat, before finally allowing her body to cease its resistance. She did not writhe, and she did not push against the cold, half-dead woman on top of her. She gave in. “Fine.” She said, “You win.”

Some part of her meant it, these were not conditions in which she could hope to beat the creature. She had no weapons, except for shabby cutlery. She did not want to be turned, she did not want to risk hurting her brother further.

Her efforts would have to be put on hold for now.

“You dedicate yourself to me, as my thrall? You give unto me your service, and your loyalty, till death do us part?” Caitlyn ask, her breath too was chilling Vi’s neck, goosebumps prickled her arms.

“Yes,” she said, but then she was slammed again into the floor.

“Say it!” Demanded Caitlyn.

So, with no other option clear to her, she dedicated herself to the woman she now resented the most. “I am your thrall, your servant, loyal until death shall do us part. I am faithful, and I am yours.” Said Vi through clenched teeth.

Once her admission was done, she felt a wave of bliss flood through her. A genuine serenity, a heavenly calm spread through her body. It drowned her mind in a momentary high, a sensation she had never felt before. She felt pure and beautiful and satisfied.

It slowly simmered away, despite her trying to cling to the feeling, it inevitably vanished. An inverse of the torturous pressure she had felt earlier.

“D’you feel that, Violet?” Caitlyn asked, she looked at peace, her face relaxed, there was a strange soothing sound to her voice. “That feeling? That’s what you get when you are a good girl and listen and do as I say. Do you understand? I’m sure you do, you’re smart, aren’t you?” She stood, turning away from Vi, towards Maddie. “Of course, I’m sure I don’t need to remind you what happens if you displease me…” she said, portentously.

She walked over, and pulled Maddie into her embrace, still not meeting Vi’s not-so subtle glaring. “She and I will be downstairs, when you feel ready to talk. This is your one and only lesson, Vi. Should I think you a threat, I will not hesitate to kill you.”

They escorted themselves out of the room.

——

Violet had to spend several long, awful minutes sorting through the mass of confused emotions she was experiencing. Her body ached for Caitlyn in ways it had only ever ached for food and sleep. There was a gravity, seemingly quite literally pulling her into her master’s orbit, she did not have the means to escape.

She also deeply hated her, for more reasons that she bothered recounting. She wanted to—needed—to kill her. She needed to burn her body in a pyre, scoop up the ashes, and scatter them into every piss pot and sewer drain in London. She wanted to ensure there would be no more Caitlyn Kiramman.

The yearning for her master, to Vi’s dismay, was stronger than she could justify resisting anymore. The ache became a physical issue, her heart began to skip beats, she felt sick, but could not allow herself to throw up again, for her own dignity.

So, despite the fantasies of cruel and inhumane torture, she met Caitlyn downstairs on her, admittedly, incredibly comfortable couch. A tray of finger food and a pitcher of water sat on the table between them.

“If you feed off blood, why the food?” Vi asked, casually, as though it wasn’t directed towards a spawn of Satan and the creature she reviled most. Something about her mood towards Caitlyn had shifted, even if logically she still hated her, she wore rose-tinted glasses about the whole thing.

“Because, neither you nor Mads here feeds off blood. You are, after all, still entirely human. Just…upgraded in some ways. No, no, don’t ask me. I really don’t want to go over the details now. They’ve always bored me and I’ve had far too many of you to care anymore. You’ll figure it out with time.” Caitlyn said.

She continued, changing topics, “Vi, I wanted to have a civil discussion with you. About Vampires. About me, and my kin. About you, and your…” she cleared her throat dramatically, “profession.”

“You see, darling hunter, I don’t wish to continue this feud between the living and the, as you see it, un-living.” She laughed, mostly to herself, “but, what a ridiculous notion, ‘undead.’ Don’t you think? Am I not talking to you, can I not think and love and hate? There is hardly any part of me that is dead—in fact, I’d argue I’m even more alive.” She shook her head, sipping from a cup of water. “I digress, I am not here to discuss philosophy and you look so incredibly bored already. So let’s cut to the chase.”

Vi, by this point, was entirely happy to cut to the chase. She leant forward on her knees, picking pieces of food off the tray, examining them closely before hesitantly eating.

Caitlyn said, “I propose a truce, and I understand that the best way to do that may not have been making you a servant of mine and killing Vander. Don’t make that face, it wasn’t me who did it. He needed to die, and for a time I thought you and your brother did too. But I truthfully did not want more bloodshed than necessary. I may have been wrong in my previous actions. But I can assure you that all I ever wanted was peace between us.”

Vi listened, thoughtfully, thinking of the most reasonable and intelligent response she thought this delicate situation required. “There is no way in fucking hell that is true. No, you’re lying.” She stated, trying to ignore the creeping migraine.

Caitlyn shook her head, waving her hand in the air, “If it was a lie, why save you? Why save your brother? Why sit you down and talk?”

“Because you’re a sadistic bitch?”

Caitlyn feigned hurt, “A bitch! Why, Vi, I’m heartbroken.” She mocked. “Listen to reason, Vi. What if I am telling the truth? I’d have so much more to gain if I just simply sent the Yard into your home, had you all executed, and been done with the whole matter. You and I both know I can do that. But I don’t, because I truly do want to make amends, to end this war that’s been raging for centuries. The world is changing, I want to bring it into peace and prosperity. The dark ages are over, Vi. Do not cling to bad traditions.”

“Okay, okay. Fine. What do you have in mind?” Vi said.

“It’s truly simple. There’s the matter of your brother, and his little revolutionary party. They’ve been organizing with labor unions lately, taking down and exposing Vampires through the guise of a proletarian revolution. I seek to quell this tension. We’ll do some basic reforms. Raise wages by a few cents, give them what they want.”

“A few cents…reforms? They want to kill the aristocracy.”

Caitlyn shrugged, “They say they do. But they’re docile. They don’t know what they actually want, they don’t understand economics. I can’t simply relinquish control of the Yard, now can I? If every factory owner signed the lease over to the workers, well, it’d be madness, don’t you think?”

Vi was, somewhere deep in her mind, unconvinced. Though, something about Caitlyn’s demeanor, the way she smiled, the way she spoke so confidently about these matters made her doubt her own conscience. “Sure, I suppose that makes sense. But, my brother won’t simply stop.”

Caitlyn did not seem perturbed, “I sympathize with your worry for your brother. But, Violet…” she leaned forward, serious, “I will grant some amnesty to him. I will offer him a deal, I will give him and his party some of what they want. We’ll compromise. Such is the way of progress, working together. However, if, afterwards, he continues to break the law, if he continues to try and subvert the safety of our city, of the nation. I can’t make exceptions for the law.”

Vi sighed, leaning back. She didn’t say anything in return.

Caitlyn sat up again, allowing the topic to drop, “Will you work with me, Vi? As a further example of my good will, I will even grant you freedom from being a thrall. Should you desire it, you’ll have it once a compromise with your brother is met. I hope you understand why I can’t now. I, admittedly, need you as—” she waved her hand mindlessly, “insurance, a reason for him to listen.”

Vi sighed, running her hand through her hair, rubbing her palm against her temple. “Sure, yeah. I get it. What first?” She asked.

“First? Oh, first, we eat. When was the last time you dined out? Oh, but we can’t have you go looking like that. Maddie will clean you. The carriage will be here in an hour,” she said, standing. “So please, do hurry. I hate to keep the driver waiting.”

——

Vi and Maddie came down the stairs, Maddie in a new, identical formal suit as to the one before, which now had a brown crust around the front collar.

Vi, on the other hand, had an unbelievable amount of trouble fitting into anything. Anything that she did almost fit into, she hated. None of the dresses Caitlyn had were tailored to fit the broadness of her chest and shoulders, none of the suits were fitted to not cling tightly to her arms.

She felt some pride in this, still, because it meant her training and workouts were going perhaps too well. Though, for this occasion, she had envied the other two women’s proportions.

She found one piece that worked for her quite well. It was a dark grey, wool riding skirt, which adjusted to be tied tight around her waist. Under were breeches of the same style, matched with a form fitting blazer, buttons made of silver in half mourning.

The whole thing was, still, tight on Vi’s body. It took her some time to adjust.

Caitlyn, for her part, wore a pristine formal dress of deep blues and accented whites. To Vi, she looked like sea-foam, preparing to be reborn into a goddess.

“Lovely!” The vampire said, “The sun has fully set not but a few minutes ago. The carriage is here, who’s hungry?”

Chapter Text

The dinners Caitlyn provided may have been her favorite part of the whole affair thus far. She even began to tolerate Maddie, a smidge.

She felt a sort of relatability to her that she hadn’t previously considered. She too was orphaned, taken in by a family who wanted to give her a life, sure, but not an easy one. Maddie’s adoptive father was military, and she despised him for it. He wanted her to aid the soldiers in their colonization, she was to be a missionary, a wife, and a nurse. A good woman, he said, one any man should be proud to have.

She did not, despite her fathers wishes, to do anything of the sort. She ran away after his berating became too violent, when it turned physical. She applied to work in the offices at Scotland Yard, and was immediately dismissed by several of the officers. She, at the time, was a girl of only sixteen. Young and a woman, she wasn’t taken seriously, except by Caitlyn Kiramman. Who promised her refuge, and eventually gave her the means to join the Yard, and own her own place to stay, should she ever desire to be alone. Caitlyn provided freedoms, Maddie had told Vi, that she’d never have gotten otherwise.

Vi asked Caitlyn about it, after dinner, why she took in Maddie. She said, while prodding the wood in the fireplace, “I understood her in some ways. My family too died early, leaving me as head of the estate and my family’s name. I hid it for some time, did things under the guise of my father, arranging matters legally so I’d have more legitimacy. Then, after I was secure in my position, I announced his death. It was all very convenient and rumors ran rampant. But who cares, look where I am now?”

“There’s rumors they’re still alive, it’s mostly a consensus. Some stunt to run away from taxation and such, I never fully understood it.” Vi said.

The vampire scoffed, “That’s the worst one out there.” Was all she said regarding it.

She continued, “I saw myself in her. She wasn’t—isn’t, much younger than me. She had drive, she’s ambitious. I like that about a person.” She shrugged, “I guess that’s why I took a liking to you, and your brother, to be frank. Though, he’s slowly falling out of favor.” She laughed, distantly.

Vi wasn’t really sure what to say in response to this. She was dumbfounded at the admission that a vampire liked her, and that it wasn’t an inconsequential amount, either. “Right, yeah…”

Caitlyn turned to meet Vi’s eyes. “You don’t have to feel the same, Vi. I won’t punish you for being your own woman. I’m not a, what did you call me the other day? A sadistic bitch.” She joked—actually joked, which, mixed with the fact Caitlyn had confessed she took a liking to her, made Vi feel that she might be going insane.

Still, she tried her hand at turning over a new leaf. “Well, I don’t think you’re that sadistic, just a little.”

Caitlyn frowned, “Oh, but you do still think I’m a bitch, then?”

Vi, stumbling over her words, tried to reconcile her mistake. “Well- no, I didn’t mean—what I meant-”

Caitlyn let out a harsh, cruel laugh. Stepping closer to Vi. “Oh, god, I do so love toying with you.” She traced her fingers along Vi’s jaw, her lips curling into a smile. Vi swallowed, her throat bobbing.

Caitlyn said, “Well, it’s getting late for you. We have a big day tomorrow, nonetheless. We’ll discuss the details in the morning.”

She moved past Vi, towards the stairs. “Goodnight, hunter.”

Chapter Text

‘To the members of the so-called Revolutionary Party, 

      I write this with hopes that you will, despite your prejudice, open it. 

     It is I believe in the best interest of us both, along with the citizenry, that we have the opportunity for an open dialogue. It is because of this belief that I offer you the opportunity to let your voices be heard. 

    It is also prudent that party member Jinx is made aware that his sister is safe, secure, and happy. She and I have already had our disagreement, and have come to a compromise on our beliefs, and tolerate the other. We have put aside past grudges in favor of harmony and respect.

     And so, I, head of the Kiramman family, pledge on my honor, that no harm shall come to any of the Revolutionary Party. I hereby extend an invitation to discuss what steps need to be taken to further the betterment of our great nation. Be prepared to meet us at the attached location at the time and date stated. Tardiness will be an assumed rejection.’ Ekko read aloud, “Signed by the woman herself.” 

“Bullshit.” Sevika almost laughed. “Ridiculous, a vampire? Offering us clemency? The nerve.” 

Jinx agreed, “She thinks she can bribe me, with the promise of seeing my sister. That she can see reason, so then why can’t we?” 

Ekko said, “A trap?” 

“I’d hardly call it that. More like offering ourselves up to her on a silver platter, seasoned and delicious.” Jinx leaned onto the table, planting the flats of his hands onto the splintering wood. “It’s perfect.” 

Sevika nodded, “agreed.” 

Ekko rose to his feet, “Jinx, what the fuck are you planning? Sevika, for the love of god, do not encourage him.” 

Jinx rounded the table, towards Ekko, “think about it.” He stood beside him. “We go to this meeting, we walk in, play nice, tell them what they want to hear, blah blah blah.” He bobbed his head from side to side with each subsequent blah, mimicking with his hand. “What they don’t know is that you are outside, planting a bomb on their carriage.”

“Right, great.” Ekko said, “I’m sure it’ll be heavily guarded, though. She never goes anywhere without a secret bodyguard watching her every move.” 

“So then we simply gift it to them. Everyone likes a box of sweets, yeah? A show of kindness.” 

“You would risk our whole plan on them not noticing their box of pastries is actually rigged to explode?” Ekko, once more, looked to Sevika. “You can’t possibly agree with this.” 

Sevika shrugged, “It is perhaps not the best plan, but if it works, it will work better than any other.” 

Ekko sighed, meeting Jinx again. “What about your sister? Won’t she get caught in the crossfire?” 

Jinx laughed, harshly, “Good riddance if she does.” He crossed his arms. “I’ve been spying on them. Shush, I don’t care, I know it’s dangerous but I had to know. They’ve been going out together, did you know that? A trio, Caitlyn, my sis, and some cop. Do you want to know what I saw my sister doing at one of these outings? Go on, ask.” 

Ekko tried to protest, but Jinx waved his hand in his face. “No, Sh-Sh. Ask.” He demanded, 

So Ekko did, unamused, “What was she doing?” 

“She was laughing! Fucking hell, she was having fun!” Jinx barked, throwing his hands up in the air. He paced the width of The Room, stomping hard on the floor. Ekko winced with each step he took. 

“Jinx, there’s people below us.” He said. 

“Fuck the people below us! They stole our rations, I’m sure of it.” Still, to Ekko’s relief, he stopped violently pacing. “There’s more important issues. My sister is drinking wine and dining on steak with Caitlyn fucking Kiramman. Thrall or not, she was enjoying herself. She didn’t even grimace!” Jinx said. 

“So you’ll have her killed?” Ekko interrogated. 

“Since when do you care? She very well might have already planned out how to kill us at this meeting. I know her—or, I used to. I don’t know who she is anymore, but I do know that she can be cunning, ruthless, and damn good at killing. These three cannot be our undoing.” 

Ekko let out an exhausted huff, leaning back against his chair. “I only ask because she’s the last bit of family you have left. She’s blood, isn’t she? I just don’t want to see you regret losing her.” 

“My family is here, in this room. You and Sevvy. I don’t need anyone else.” Jinx said, and that was final. 

Ekko went to speak, but Jinx said, “Please don’t argue with me about that, Ekko. I’m firm in my stance.” 

He rubbed a finger over his nose, itching it, smudging the paint. Ekko said, “No arguments from me. I simply ask that you let me help you build the bomb.” He smiled. 

——

The intended date to meet was less than a week away from when they received the letter.

Jinx and Ekko spent most of the time in each other's room, barging in during the middle of the night with some new idea to test. They’d stay up late past dawn, neither of them ever getting much sleep. 

Occasionally Sevika would scold them, making sarcastic remarks, on one occasion having attempted to actually reason with them, logically. She realized quickly that, despite appearances, both of them were well beyond logical thought. 

It started with Jinx presenting his prototype to Ekko soon after their initial meeting, which was met with jest. “You’ve been planning this for some time, haven’t you?” He remarked. Jinx had just shrugged, knowingly. 

When they did sleep, they bunked together, when they woke up they’d share a small breakfast, they could not remove themselves from each other. 

The night before the meeting they had finished their contraption. A small, rectangular dark red box, tied shut with a glittering, golden ribbon. 

It was a laughably simple device by all appearances, constructing something meant to explode was simple, child’s play. The trouble was not even the size, necessarily, it was making it light enough that they could reasonably assume it might be pastries. They had even gone out and bought a box of the treat for themselves, to test the weight of their bomb next to a box of baked goods. 

Their bomb had come up short, which sparked heated discussion about whether all pastries weighed the same, and if there was even a noticeable difference when held. Ekko argued “This is ridiculous, Jinx, no one would ever notice a difference in weight this small.”

Jinx, feeling particularly, unreasonably heated about the weight of pastries, said through tightly spoken words, “If anyone would, it’d be her. We can’t leave anything to probability.” 

Ekko pulled a cheese Danish out of the box, and took a bite of it. Slowly, the weight began to even out between two boxes. This satisfied Jinx. Ekko thought him mad. 

——

They were two blocks away from the meeting location, and it was, to the party’s dismay, a constable station. “Better than the Yard,” Sevika joked. 

“Not much,” Jinx said, “With Kiramman there, they might as well be the queen's guard. We could be arrested before we even see her.” 

“Which is what makes your job so important!” Jinx said, pointing to Ekko. “No matter what happens, do not deviate from the plan. I don’t care if you hear that we’ve been murdered, fucked, or arrested,” 

(“Why are you so obsessed with fucking her?” Sevika muttered).

“You do not, under any circumstances, stray from the plan.” Jinx said. 

“You know, I’ve been doing political terror a lot longer than you.” Ekko said, sarcastically. “I’m no amateur. It will be done.” He held the bomb close to him. 

Jinx, in an act that caught Ekko entirely off guard, hugged him. He said “Thanks for your help. Be safe, I’ll see you after the meeting.” Jinx said. 

Ekko mumbled a response. “Right- sure. I’ll see you on the other side.” He pulled his mask over his head. 

Sevika and Jinx did the same, they walked to the station, Ekko trailing a fair distance behind. 

They were silent for the walk, avoiding anyone who crossed their path. Despite only taking a handful of minutes, it had felt to Jinx like it might’ve been an hour. The moon remained eclipsed by the smog in the air. There was a sinking, horrible feeling in his gut that something might go wrong. An anxiety that made him so nauseous, he could feel it in his throat. He couldn’t rationalize what made him feel this way. He had no problem with meeting, and killing Caitlyn. Nor did he care if a few police die in either, England might be better for it. 

His sister? Was he this afraid of seeing his sister again, after what had happened? After she killed Vander? 

He shook his head, trying to knock the thoughts away forcibly. He couldn’t let his mind wander, he had to do just as he said. He had to focus on the plan. 

They entered the station, and it was harsh with the new, electric lights they had installed. The municipalities had been renovated en masse in the wake of the electricity and the lightbulb. There was a buzzing in the air, it was horribly distracting—mixed with the fact he was nearly blinded by the contrast to the outside. It took him a few moments to adjust, and there was a member of the Yard standing in front of a metal door. Her ginger hair peaking out from under her helmet. 

“Ms. Kiramman is waiting.” Was all she said. She turned, struggled to open the heavy, reinforced door,  and walked down the brick hall. Jinx looked at Sevika and shrugged, following her. 

The woman opened another door, holding it for them both. When Jinx turned to enter, he felt his heart sink. Vi sat on the other side of an interrogation table, uncomfortably close to the blue-haired aristocrat. They seemed so cordial, no side eyeing, no recoiling at slight touches, not even a faint distress from being in such close, friendly proximity. Jinx frowned under his mask. This wasn’t his sister. She wouldn’t allow this, this was the exact thing she mocked him over, for believing vampires could tell anything but lies to serve themself. 

Still, he pulled out a chair, and sat, wordless. His eyes peered through the cloth mask. Sevika stood just behind him, arms crossed, her metallic arm cut free from a sleeve. 

The door clicked shut behind them, but noticeably stayed unlocked. The cop stood behind Caitlyn, at attention. 

“I appreciate you having come.” Caitlyn said. “Though, the masks are hardly necessary, don’t you think? Especially you, Jinx. I think we’re well acquainted enough, don’t you?” 

“What do you want, Kiramman?” He ignored her. 

“Didn’t you read the letter? I want to come to an agreement, I want to compromise.” 

Jinx said, “Right,” they mocked, “and I want to kiss the boot.” He leaned forward, already showing his short temper. “What do you actually want? You must’ve had an idea when you sent that letter. Your political talk won’t work on me, be plain or do not speak at all.” 

Vi slammed her hand on the table, raising her voice. “Dammit, Jinx, why do you have to be so damn confrontational? Just hear her out, would ya?” 

“Oh-ho. Now you,” Jinx addressed his sister with a certain venomous tinge in her voice, “I can’t stand what’s become of you. A vampire, Violet? Out of every woman in the whole of the empire you chose a damned animal?” 

Caitlyn cleared her throat, raising her hand in the air to halt the conversation. “Vi, please.” She said, gesturing to her to fall back. “Jinx, let’s be civil. You’re right, I do have a goal in mind. I’ve seen your work with the labor unions, the riots have been hard to overlook. I’m here to put an end to this rebellion, peacefully, by seeing reasonable demands met.” 

“I, and several of my colleagues, will commission parliament to raise wages, and I will see that such a law is enforced. A generous amount, I assure you. Furthermore, we propose that we should decrease the workday to a meager nine hours, a substantial improvement over twelve, don’t you think?” 

Jinx and Sevika were stunned into silence. Caitlyn, on the other hand, seemed entirely pleased with herself.

He burst out into a fit of laughter, rocking forward and back in the chair, banging his fist on the table. He gasped for air when he had short moments of relief from this onslaught. The room was otherwise dead, all focus was on him. Sevika simply rested her still-flesh hand on his back, patting, trying to calm him. Caitlyn’s eyebrows raised, and Vi and Maddie had a mirrored expression of disbelief. 

“You’re fucking insane, toots.” He choked out, “really, truly out of your mind.” 

“Excuse me?” Caitlyn said. 

“What he means is, your offer is shit. Our demands on the streets were that wages doubled, work halved, and days off increased. We wanted more housing, cheaper too. We wanted to have the means to live a life of contentment, not squalor. You offer us a pint of piss instead of a bucket and say we should be grateful we got anything at all.” Sevika said. 

The vampire blinked, turning to Vi, then back to the duo. “I was also going to propose a truce.” She said, as though this might quell tensions. “I wanted to live in peace, I’ve recently been looking into substituting human blood for other animals. In effect it is no different from typical human consumption. I don’t want our worlds to have to be at war. We can have peace, we can find a middle-ground. As a show of good nature, I’ve even brought your sister on board, and have told her as I will now tell you, that I offer amnesty. I will forgive all past crimes hitherto, should you agree.” 

Jinx took off his mask, finally, his thick blue hair sticking to the cloth as it fell to his shoulders. “Listen, Caitlyn.” He said, a twisted smile on his face. “I will not be party to the games you demons play. My sister may have forgotten what you are. But I never will. You’ve turned her into a thrall, a captive to your whims.”

Vi slid her hand across the table, shaking her head. “That’s not true, Jinx. Look at me—goddammit, look at me! Hear me when I tell you that a better world is possible. That this doesn’t have to end in violence. We start with reforms, these things take time.” 

“Do they? The French seemed to have no issue with it, and nor did the Americans, though frankly they seem worse for wear.”

“I love you, big sister.” He said, “I looked up to you always. But this—no. There’s no compromising with evil, we just call that complacency.” Jinx stood, the chair screeching against the floor as it scoot behind them. “If you’re serious about your desire to change, you’ll commit these reforms whether we agree to these terms or not. If no changes come, then it is clear this was just some feeble attempt to neuter us into submission, that your promises are what they have always been—empty.” 

“Is there anything else you want to add, Caitlyn, sis?” He looked at them both, swapping who’s gaze he met.

Caitlyn rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “No, no, there’s not. You’re dismissed, as promised no harm shall come to you tonight. But from here on, consider yourselves enemy of the state.” 

Jinx wrapped the mask back over their face. “Whatever, enjoy the pastries.” He said, the duo exiting before they could be questioned.

“Pastries, my lady?” Madeline inquired, and she was just met with a confused shake of the head. 

——

Down the street, when they were sure they had not been followed, and no one was around to eavesdrop, they talked.

“What happened to not deviating from the plan? Weren’t we supposed to play nice?” Sevika asked, with no ill intent. She, above all else, trusted that Jinx knew what he was doing.

”Playing nice would have been the most suspicious thing to do. She didn’t expect us to agree to those terms. It was all a game to her, couldn’t you tell? She’s planning something, I know it.” Jinx said, his suspicion palpable.

“You think he’s okay?”

“No point in worrying now,” Sevika said, “Let’s go to the rendezvous, he should already be there.” 

Chapter Text

Vi groaned, slamming the carriage door shut. “I can’t believe him!” Her fist cracked against the wall. “Who does he think he is? Who does he think you are? That you’re meant to solve all the world's issues? You’re doing the best you can!” She said, filled with righteous fury.

Caitlyn rested her cheek against her fist, staring out the window. Maddie settled beside her. “Yes. He is certainly a problem. He’s put me in quite the predicament.” She said, thoughtfully. 

“Of course he has! He’s forced your hand, now he’s a fugitive.” Vi threw head back, closing her eyes. A droplet of sweat fell down her neck. 

Maddie stared down at a thin, red box, tied with a glittering golden ribbon. A note was attached, which read, ‘Pastries, as a show of good faith- The Party.’ To this, Maddie couldn’t help but laugh. “A show of good faith? Is that why they threw their little tantrum? Pathetic.” She said, untying the bow. She shrugs, “Nonetheless, a treat is a treat.”

Caitlyn’s hand presses flat against the box before it could be opened. “Don’t,” She said, “I am quite sure they’re probably poisoned. Probably infused with holy water too, in case I might be stupid enough to consume something an enemy has prepared.” Caitlyn smiled, holding a scornful laugh in the back of throat. She covered her mouth with her balled hand, trying to refrain, “I mean really, how stupid do they think I am?”

She inevitably lost her battle to the laughter, it taking over her entirely. She broke down in the carriage, burning her face into her hands. 

Vi straightened her neck, watching the woman who, until now, had been almost entirely stoic in her demeanor. She had, for the admittedly short time Vi knew her, never let herself become so intensely, uncontrollably expressive. Caitlyn had her emotions on a tighter leash than the Yard–who never acted without at minimum an indirect go ahead from her. 

The juxtaposition of the woman Vi had known, to the one who now sat across from her was startling. 

“That little rat.” she growled. “He thinks he can get away with treating me like this? He has not the faintest clue who I am. I will break his pathetic little party so thoroughly, so mercilessly that he will beg for an inkling of the kindness I have shown him this night. I will not be made a fool of.” 

Vi felt a pulsing in her brain, a searing pressure numbing her skull. She lurched back, burying her hands in her hair, as though she might stop the blazing, internal pain. 

“I suggest your sympathies for your estranged brother stop here, Vi.” Caitlyn said, callous. “The more you resist my will, the more it’ll hurt–Oh, don’t be cross, you know letting him go is the right decision. He is clearly deranged.”

She shut her eyes tight, her voice hoarse, “No, he’s confused, that’s all.”

Cold fingers wrapped around her hands, holding them. “Look at me, Vi.”

She listened, or perhaps her body simply responded to an order, like a puppet responds to the pulling of its strings. Her vision was met with the attentive, interested stare of the vampire. Her blue eyes were piercing, calculating. “Listen to me, darling hunter. You don’t want him anymore, do you understand? He is mad, and more importantly, he is a traitor. Obviously to his own cause, as you have seen. But do not forget who killed Vander. I have done nothing but try to bring us further, into the future. What has he done? Held us back, he lied and schemed and murdered his way forward. He violates the laws of the country, he is a vigilante killer, he’s stoking insurrection.”

The darling hunter had never been one for critical analysis. The deepest thinking she ever engaged in was conjuring new, creative ways to make a vampire’s death as painful as possible. Political happenings and interpersonal dramas had always been, not just beyond her, but entirely uninteresting to her. So strong was this distaste for drama that she did not entirely question what Caitlyn said, because, on the surface it had all seemed obvious and true. 

“Yeah, sure. I guess you’re probably right.” She said, dejected. She leaned her head against her fist, and stared out the window, in a vivid mimicry of what her vampire companion had only done moments before.

——

The carriage arrived at the Kiramman manor, the night was beginning to wane. The moon, from the entrance of the vampire’s palace, was bright in the sky, no longer shrouded in the soot clouds. 

Maddie was out of the carriage first, the box of pastries clutched tight. She held it away from her body, suspicious of the container ever since Caitlyn had expressed concern. 

Caitlyn pressed her hand flat against her back, guiding her forward. “It might be poison, but for god’s sake it won’t bite you. Go on, inside. I haven’t got all night.” 

She turned back, “You coming Vi?” 

She wasn’t, not initially. She had spent the majority of the ride recounting the interaction with her brother. Breaking down everything he said, everything she didn’t say. She had painstakingly reconstructed the argument from the beginning. She won most of her mental battles, losing once, which she couldn’t ruminate on due to the migraine that had birthed from it. 

Aside from, in her daydreaming, being multitudes superior to her brother— she also couldn’t shake the feeling she had gotten when he walked into the room. She felt a deep, physiological response from every soul (living and otherwise) in the room. It was a feeling she had the faintest memory of, the beating of hearts, elevating blood pressures and sinking anxieties. All the subtle unconscious reactions were innately familiar to her. She could see his blood pump faster, feel it within her, just as she could feel the circulatory systems of all the bodies in the room. Just as she could when, she remembered—when she had been turned into a thrall. 

The whole night of her turning had been a blur, a literal, indescribable blur of lights and sounds and colors. She couldn’t fully remember even now the events that had transpired. Caitlyn had recounted it for her, once, but she wasn’t so sure she believed her. Despite their general positive disposition towards each other, Vi just couldn’t shake the prejudice she’d been brought up with. 

Vampire’s lie. That is their nature.

Caitlyn had told her about the vampire ambush, about the setup of what was now being called the Jack the Ripper case. About luring out the vampire hunters, to traffick them, sell them as indentured servants to some other vampire aristocrats. She was told about how it was Caitlyn who saved her, and how Vander too had come to save her. Except that Jinx had killed Vander. 

Vi just couldn’t believe it had been that simple. That Kiramman had been twisting the truth. But the rush of memories had come back to her, she recalled the hole in his chest, and through that window of her mentor's gore and organs, she could see Jinx. She recalled him slumping to the ground, dead before her, and her once-brother moving on as if nothing had happened. 

The only thing she remembered after that was being carried away by Caitlyn, Jinx screaming after them. 

Probably, she thought, wanting to kill her too. 

She played these thoughts through her head. She felt the anger begin to boil within her. The remembrance of the patricide, she clenched her fists tight, nails digging into her flesh. She bit her lip, it wasn’t until she snapped out of it would she come to realize she damn near chewed through the top layer. 

The cause of her clarity came in the form of a hand grabbing hers, wrapping around the balled knuckle, cocooning them in chilled meat. Vi’s eyes focused in front of her, into the deep, lapis colored eyes of her vampire. “Vi?” The woman’s voice, usually so sure and refined, was tinged with worry. “Look at me, are you okay?” 

She blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks, into her lap. Her voice broke, the words barely more than breaths escaping her lungs, “Vander, he’s—Jinx—he killed him. He’s dead.” 

Caitlyn’s face broke into a disappointed frown. Her head fell, shamefully, and she sighed, cursing under her breath. “Vi, darling.” There was consolation in her voice. A warmth inviting Vi to make the woman her source of comfort. “I didn’t want you to find out this way—I hoped that maybe if I told you, it’d lessen the blow. That if you didn’t remember, maybe I’d save you the heartache, one I went through all those years ago.” She wrapped her arm around the hunter, who collapsed into her, and sobbed. 

The frigid tips of fingers stroked her scalp, digging beneath her hair. The gentlest scratches from those knifelike nails soothed her brain. She kept herself trapped in the woman’s embrace, letting the corpse slowly numb her exposed skin in its cold death. Her body prickled with goosebumps. 

When she had her fill of vulnerable emotions, she returned to her anger, that never ending source of motivation. Anger directed at Jinx, for having killed Vander. For lying to her, for betraying her, for disappearing. For never attempting to make amends. 

Vi did not wish to see him dead, though she was sure Caitlyn did. But she did not want to see him free, wild and able to perpetuate his carnage wherever he was. Unease was building in the streets, bodies piled up every night, and at the center of it all was Jinx. The unrest, the tensions, all resentment he thrived on and continued to spread. Vi would see that it would end, somehow.

Caitlyn gave the hunter her space, and said, “I’m going to head inside. Meet me when you feel up to it, I’d like to talk with you.” 

——

She felt up to it just about immediately after Caitlyn had disappeared inside the manor. Seeing her go and tugged at her in a way she hadn’t the mind to investigate at this moment. 

She followed in her wake, still replaying the events of the night. How she felt Caitlyn’s heart sink with a deep-seated disgust towards her brother, intermingled with the most infinitesimal feeling of lust. Which immediately made Vi block out the vampire's feelings for the rest of the interview, and was relieved to see Jinx had only the former emotion present itself physiologically. 

She thought about how she could feel the blood in his arteries flow faster through his body upon their reunion. How she felt the same gut reaction. She longed for her family back, one that he had taken away from her. 

“You made haste, wonderful. I do try and keep my patience, but truth be told I just could hardly contain my anxiety.” Caitlyn mused, atop the stairs. “Come with me to my chambers. Don’t worry about Maddie, I’ve instructed her to busy herself. It’ll be a private meeting.” 

She followed the aristocrat as per her instructions, closing the heavy wooden doors behind her upon entering the room. 

“No offense intended but, please stop being so damn cryptic, Kiramman. I am hardly in the mood.” Vi said, her previous show of emotion a now very distant memory, bottled up and shoved away. 

“Don’t be so cruel, darling. I’ve actually been thinking about giving you a gift.” 

“A gift?”

“Yes,” cooed Caitlyn thoughtfully, “A gift. Perhaps the first gift, if you go by the vampire’s philosophy…” she did not elaborate after that.

“Okay, didn’t I say to cut the cryptic shit? It remains entirely uncut.” Vi said. 

“What I mean, Vi, is that I’m offering you freedom. The gift the serpent had offered unto Eve. Being a thrall is, by all accounts, an extension of being an Adam. Obeying, listening to what God says, and receiving pleasures in return. But if you do what Eve did, bite at the forbidden fruit, then your status as a thrall will end. I can be your serpent, I can free you, I have that power, Vi, as do you, as did Eve.” 

Vi blinked, trying to understand through the mildly insane ramblings of a woman who had suddenly decided to be as esoteric as possible. “So, I can free myself? From you?” 

“You can choose to let me free you, but sure. The analogy, I’m not God, I’m Lucifer, weren’t you paying attention?” Caitlyn asked, suddenly lighthearted and friendly. Her brief moment of melodramatic monologuing seemingly come to a close. 

“But, you also made me a Thrall…” She added the parts in the air, with her fingers, drawing it out for Caitlyn, “which is what you said God did to Adam—so that makes you—both God and Satan?” Vi asked, puzzled, “I mean that’s sort of theologically consistent…” 

She was cut off from her rare bout at critical thinking by a frustrated huff. “Okay!” Caitlyn threw her hands in the air, defeated. “Fine! My analogy wasn’t thought out, you win. I was just trying to make the moment properly eccentric. I was trying to give it some, I don’t know, je ne sais quoi. But I failed.” She crossed her arms over her chest, in what, to Vi’s surprise, resembled a pout.

“My point is that I’m going to free you from the affliction I’ve caused you. You’ve shown me that I can trust you.” She stepped closer, grabbing Vi’s hand in her familiar way. “I want you to be by my side, not as a servant or a thrall. But as my partner into this new world we will create.” 

Vi felt her body warm, despite the chill of Caitlyn’s flesh. She could not keep her thoughts organized. She hadn’t known until now just how much she wanted this, how deeply she wanted to be a force for change in the world. She’d always strived to outgrow Vander, and she had sought to do that through his means. But perhaps, she realized, she could surpass him by becoming an even greater change than he could possibly imagine. Maybe Caitlyn could give her that opportunity, maybe she was the key. 

Her whole life she’d been taught to distrust vampires. She had embedded it into her soul that they were beasts who used deceit as a way to lure in their prey. That everything they had ever said and done, no matter how virtuous, was all a means to an end. 

This, Vi had now come to understand, was a convenient lie. It was a lie hunters had popularized, and why shouldn’t they have? If no one trusts vampires, if everything the blood-beasts did was in an attempt to further their own pursuits, then the hunters were endlessly justified in their killing. Nothing their prey did could ever in turn free them from prejudice. They were children of Satan, and thus they should be cleansed from the Earth lest they destroy it. 

“I want that too, Cait.” She said, “I want to be by your side, I believe in you, in your goal. Free me from these chains and I shall stay with you despite the transgression.” 

Caitlyn smiled, and grabbed Vi’s cheeks. She pulled her face close, and before the now retired hunter could realize what had happened, their lips pressed together. 

A beat passed, and Vi shut her eyes, returning the kiss in kind. She felt a clarity in her thoughts, the strings that tugged at her willpower faded away, along with the ever looming threat of an on-coming migraine or rush of hedonistic pleasure. She felt the vampire's power over her leave, in a literal sense. As though it had been transferred back into Caitlyn. 

This transference only seemed to empower the other woman in turn, her hand wrapping around Vi’s back in a lovers embrace. She held the kiss far longer than was necessary, her hands, greedy to fulfill long suppressed urges, scoured the ex-hunters body in a desperate attempt to cling to every ounce of flesh that made her. Claws dug into skin, fangs grazed against lips. 

Vi broke the kiss first, stepping backwards, bumping into the bed post. “I’m not sure if this is right—I mean, this feels wrong.” 

But Caitlyn kept perusing, “Why, pray tell, would it be? Two women who want something from each other. A mutual exchange. Is it so wrong for them to pursue it?” 

“It’s just, I know you and my brother—I  felt your emotions, earlier tonight, when you saw him.” 

Caitlyn smiled, “A vampire's keenness. I won’t deny you observed what you have. But what I observe now, dearest Violet, is how your heart beats for me.” She pressed her hand flat against Vi’s chest. “I know what it is you’re thinking.” She leaned in close, her words a whisper against Vi’s neck, brushing over her veins. “I want it to.”

She pressed her lips down against the woman’s skin, kissing. Vi felt her body jolt at the feeling, having anticipated the sinking of fangs. Part of her, a part she now was embarrassed to know that Caitlyn was aware of, felt disappointed to have been denied the opportunity. 

She did not push the woman away, she was stuck, hands grabbing pitifully at the vampire’s hips. 

She felt the hand, having previously been on her chest, slip down between her belt line, into her undergarments. Vi’s breath hitched when she felt the coldness caressing her. She shuddered against the woman, clinging to her. 

Caitlyn awed at her, teasing her about the noises she made. She chuckled at every breathy moan and sigh, and she allowed herself to continue torturing the girl. 

Her fingers slid across, over Vi’s entrance, teasing her, wetting her hand. She was careful not to cut the woman with her nails. As much as Caitlyn enjoyed her claws, and as useful as they could be in a fight, she was quite peeved at having them right now. 

She shifted back to her old motion, toying with Vi, watching her grow more sensitive to the woman’s touch. The cold, to her surprise, felt soothing and nice, and only added to the stimulation she was given. She could feel Caitlyn’s struggle for a decent angle through multiple layers of clothes, and aided her by, without warning, dropping her trousers and undergarments to her ankles. 

Caitlyn, for a moment, had her mouth agape, staring down at the woman’s legs, and in between. Her shock twisted into a mischievous smile. She grabbed Vi by the shoulders, kissed her, and shoved her back onto the bed. 

In a desperate attempt, the vampire bit at her nails, tearing them off haphazardly. The sharpened talons cut at the edge of her tongue as she chewed through them, but this slowed her down none. She spat them out, freeing her two longest fingers of their previous restrictions.

She crawled atop Vi, pushing one leg to the side, spreading her. Her lips kissed upwards from the pelvis, up to Vi’s neck, until she began to lick along the protruding collarbones, leaving hickeys where she could. 

Her fingers, meanwhile, slid back into position, playing with Vi some more. This time, when she slid her fingers over the hole, she did not hold back, instead pushing her middle and ring straight into the woman, wetness coating her. 

She angled the pads of her fingers upwards, and thrust in and out, in a consistent, repetitive motion.

Vi threw a hand over her mouth, muffling her pleasured sounds. An attempt at keeping her dignity that Caitlyn did not seem to appreciate, by the way she grabbed her wrist and pressed it hard into the duvet. 

“Don’t hide yourself from me, darling. Not after I’ve waited for so long.” She cooed, wanting. “Be a good girl for me, won’t you?” She said, not bothering to hide her mischievous grin. 

Vi whimpered, nodding. “Yes,” she managed, through heavy breaths, “I’ll be a good girl for you.” 

Upon this confession, the fingers inside her pushed deeper, her palm rubbed against her clit as she fingered, sending shockwaves of stimuli into her gut. Caitlyn kissed Vi, greedy, taking her for everything she had. She pushed her fingers upwards against her walls, and slid her tongue into her mouth, meeting no resistance. She kept going until she felt the body beneath her writhe, until the arching of her back pushed her off. Until the bucking of hips made the consistent motion harder to maintain.

“You’re taking it so well, hunter. You’re doing so good.” Caitlyn said, her voice sultry. She pressed her fangs into her bottom lip, anticipating the climax. 

It came out louder than Vi wanted, the groans of pleasure echoing off the wooden walls. She was once again stopped from covering her mouth, Caitlyn’s voice barely audible over her cries of pleasure.

“Don’t hide it, darling. I want her to hear.” She said.

Vi felt the orgasm flood through her torso, down into her thighs, she felt the pulsing against Caitlyn’s slowing thrusts and how hot her face burned due to her embarrassment.

She quivered, legs shaking terribly, and her body clenched tight as Caitlyn slowly pulled herself out of Vi, licking her fingers clean. “You know, you did such a good job taking me.” 

Vi huffed, turning, covering her face with the duvet. “Whatever.” She mumbled, and Caitlyn laughed, peppering her in soft kisses. 

A loud knocking at the door came suddenly. Vi shot upwards, covering her lower half, trying to slow her breathing. Caitlyn snickered, pushing herself off the bed.

“It’s Maddie, I’m sure.” She walked over to the door, opening it. 

Maddie was still in her clothes from the night, a worried expression soured her face. “Cait, there’s something you should know.”

But the vampire shushed her, pressing her finger to her lips. “Tut tut, not now, beloved. We have a new partner to help us into the future.” She gestured back towards Vi. 

Maddie walked in, with deliberate, short steps. The door shut behind her. “It’s serious, I think I found something-”

She slapped Maddie, playfully, but to Vi it still looked as though it stung. “I told you already, have I not? That it shall wait until later. Do you wish to disobey me again? Do you,” her eyes flickered to Vi, then she leaned into Maddie’s ear, and whispered. 

Maddie straightened, immediately shaking her head. 

“Good, now go welcome her into our family.” She ordered. 

Maddie’s nerves were wrecking her, her body trembled, and Vi briefly thought she might be nervous about their intimacy. “It’s okay.” She said, inviting her over. Maddie shook her head, and mouthed the words “Jinx.” 

The door splintered, flying open, Jinx stood on, silhouetted in the doorway, he threw down the pastry box into the room, landing at Caitlyn’s feet, he aimed his gun at it. 

His eyes met Vi, and he said. “Sorry to interrupt, sis.” 

A shot rang out, and following immediately so too did an explosion erupt in the middle of the room, radiating outward from the box. 

Maddie flew forward, slamming into Vi, who would have tried to catch her if the shockwave didn’t knock her back as well. 

Caitlyn was gone in the explosion, the fire and smoke engulfing the room. 

The floor shuttered, and collapsed in on itself. The bed soon followed, falling to the floor below—the kitchen. Vi wrapped her arms around Maddie, covering the back of her head. She curled into a ball, and shut her eyes.

——

A gun shot rang out, and then a hiss. She heard commands shouted from somewhere in the distance. She heard the goings on of a fight. 

She felt so hot, so excruciatingly hot that it physically began to burn. 

“Fire.” Coughed the woman under her, struggling for breath. She had fainted, and now the memories came rushing back to her. 

Maddie slapped Vi’s chest in desperation. “Get…off.” She groaned. 

She didn’t hesitate, some part of her embarrassed it took her so long to realize she was crushing her. But those were thoughts for another time, a safer time. 

Flames erupted around the room, spreading rapidly up the walls. She looked up, and saw the ceiling, the rafters, through the hole in the floor. The bedroom had been entirely engulfed, and they were to be next if they did not act. 

She stood, and, to her relief, found her pants had fallen with her. 

Hurrying to dress herself, tugging on the trousers. She didn’t bother to tighten them, there was no time. Maddie stumbled to her feet, leaning on Vi. She was coughing profusely. 

“The smoke, we’ll suffocate.” She said. 

Vi spun, searching for the nearest exit. Only one door was mostly free of fire, towards the main hall. 

That was good enough for her, that room had plenty of windows, and one massive door. She wrapped her arms around Maddie, and tossed her atop her shoulder, carrying her.

“Sorry, I know that hurts.” Vi said, putting one foot in front of the other, struggling forward. 

She’d never nearly died in a fire before, and she hadn’t realized just how much the smoke could burn. Her lungs felt as though they had entirely stopped. It labored her movements, slowing her to a pace she thought frustratingly, embarrassingly sluggish.

Behind the bed, across the room, a small explosion from the gas stove. It erupted, the sound so loud it left a ringing in Vi’s ear only matched by when she was turned. 

She fell forward, Maddie groaning in pain as she was slammed unceremoniously into the ground. 

They both laid there, agonizing over the heat. 

Vi tapped Maddie, gesturing towards the entrance, only a few feet away. “Come on. Crawl.” She said, and led. She threw one elbow forward, and pushed herself with the leg opposite. Each motion took exhausting amounts of energy, and she thought she might faint once more. She could feel the fires creeping closer. The bed was wholly engulfed, and it trailed after them like a predator. 

She pushed herself to her feet when she reached the door, and threw her body limp against it. It came open easily, causing Vi to slump to the ground again. The air was momentarily cleaner, the ceiling far higher, the smoke further. The fires continued consuming the manor behind them. For a moment the entrance was as it had always been, massive, opulent, untouched by the cleansing flame. 

But Jinx had entered from an adjacent room, which behind him began to glow and flicker. He held a torch in his hand. 

He held it under the curtains, and they immediately caught the flame, it spread through them like a cancer.  He infected all the hanging fabrics that surrounded the windows, each one becoming another obstacle trying to bring her closer to death. 

She stood, turning behind her, Maddie had crawled next to her, breathing in the temporarily clean air. 

Vi turned back to her brother, and yelled, “Jinx! Stop this, now!” 

Her voice was hoarse from the smoke, and she broke out into a flurry of coughs. 

Jinx turned, surprised, and began laughing. “Oh! Sis! You’re alive. I was sure that explosion had killed you. I see you saved your little piggy too, bravo.” 

He was so utterly unfazed by the situation. Screaming orders came from far off, a woman’s voice muffled through the walls. 

“You hear that? That’s your other girlfriend. Don’t worry, she won’t be much longer for this Earth. She’s good, real good. But god damn if we aren’t better. Excuse the blasphemy.”

“You monster.” Vi spat, picking up Maddie again. She stomped forward. “You devil. You’ve been nothing but a monster since-”

“Since what, Violet? Since I’ve fucked your girlfriend? Since you’ve disowned me? Since I’ve estranged myself on your demand? What sin have I committed that you yourself have not, or did not ask of me?” He questioned, torch still burning in his hand.

“You killed Vander.” She said, deathly serious. She set Maddie down on the floor, away from the flames. “You staked him through the heart, why?” She raised her fists in front of her face. She clenched her teeth, grinding them.

Another horrible laugh came from him, “Good God! You still don’t know.” He said, pacing, turning his back to Vi. “I did not kill daddy dearest, sister. He was shot through with a bolt. Your bolt. Do you understand? That vampiric slut turned you into a thrall, and in your crazed mind you shot him. At least, that is the charitable interpretation.” 

He turned back to her. “Maybe that’s just your excuse now, you play dumb. But maybe you killed him because you always envied him. You always wanted to be better than him. What better way to show your superiority than to murder your way upwards?” He mused, he grabbed the torch tight, and threw it into the corner. He raised his hands in kind. 

“You lie, Jinx. Caitlyn told me-”

“To hell with Caitlyn!” He cried, actually cried, tears welling in the corners of his eyes, falling down his cheeks. “To hell with her! She’s a demon, a devil! She’s torn us apart and made you her thrall! Please, Vi. This is what we fought against our whole lives.” He lowered his hands, slightly. “I want us to be a pair again. I miss hunting with you.” 

She sighed, lowering her arms, dropping her head. Jinx lowered his guard too, feeling as though he won her over.

“Remember, a few months ago, the factory owner and the kid?” She asked, “you couldn’t kill the kid. You couldn’t bring yourself to do it. I had to help you, and even in the end you couldn’t.” 

“I remember how timid you used to be. How in a few months you’ve grown to lead a revolution throughout the country. One that’s brought death and destruction, political unrest, and at the same time, liberation.” She said, “you used to be so afraid. I used to know what you’d do in any given situation. Now?” She met his gaze, “now I only see mockery of what my brother used to be.” 

She raised her fists again, and charged. 

Chapter Text

A few hours prior.

In the distance he stood, waving his hand high above his head, whisper-shouting, “I’m over here! Guys!” 

Jinx saw him long before he beckoned, and had no doubt been the case for Sevika as well. He frankly didn’t care about the naive gesture, he was just relieved to see him well. 

“I’m glad you made it out fine, did the little tyrants try anything?” He asked.

Ekko shook his head, “No, but I do think they didn’t quite trust the pastries. I watched them leave, after I handed them off. The ginger-haired girl was quite suspicious of them.” 

Jinx bit his thumbnail, thinking. “Well, even if they don’t open them, we still have a bomb inside Kiramman Manor. That’s an advantage we can’t let go to waste.” 

Sevika leaned back against a wall, lighting a cigarette. “Sure, but if they don’t open it, then it’s essentially just a useless box.” 

Ekko sat down on the curb, facing away from them both. “Yeah—but anyway, how did the meeting go?” 

Sevika glanced at Jinx, waiting for him to take the reign. “We’re fugitives of the state. The vampire showed her fangs, tried to coerce us into submission with some measly crumbs.”

A whistle sounded from the curb, “Nice. Though I can’t say I expected much different.”

“It doesn’t matter. Our goal is and has always been to wipe out the menace, peace be damned.” 

“Shouldn’t we have at least tried to make some progress for everyone?” Ekko extended his hand outward, as if presenting a revolutionary idea. He motioned with his hands often when he talked, as though he’s doubling down on his statement. “Not like we have to follow through with our end of the deal.” 

“I gave her an ultimatum. One that I’m hoping it’ll break my sister’s illusions of her benevolence. We’ll see what happens.” 

Sevika quirked an eyebrow at Jinx, “You’ve gone off the deep end, you know that? She won’t go through with the reforms if we blow up her house and kill her, or her girlfriends.” 

Jinx let out a noise of frustration, pacing back and forth. “Seriously, Sevvy? Think. It’s a backup plan. If the explosive doesn’t work, then she has to do the reforms, if it does work and she dies, then it’ll be easier to get our demands met with the threat of violence.”

“Or,” Ekko dragged out his interruption, “they say enough is enough and put the boot onto our necks, then we’re really fucked.” 

Jinx through his hands up in the air, annoyed that they’re both being so damn obtuse with him, “What is with you both? You were with me just until yesterday, and now you doubt me?” 

Sevika tossed her cigarette to the ground, stamping it out halfway through. “We’re not doubting you. But your plans are all over the place. There’s so much that could go wrong, you tell us one thing, and do another. There is no consistency, Jinx. There is nothing to rely on.”

“Rely on me, then! Do you hear me? You can rely on me!” He was practically shouting, “I know what I’m doing, I’ve got all the loose ends covered up. Just please, please trust me.” 

Ekko fell backwards, staring up at the sky. He closed his eyes, “We trust you, Jinx. But this better work. Our party can’t risk anymore failures.”

“It’ll work.” He said decisively. 

Sevika rolled her shoulders, “Then what now?”

Jinx pointed in the direction of Kiramman manor. “We’ll make our way over, if the bomb doesn’t set off by the time we’re there then we go along with our backup. I sneak in, grab the bomb, do as much damage as I can, catch them off guard.” He rubbed the tip of boot into the ground, stamping out some invisible flame. “Then afterwards we kill who we can.” He paused, mulling over his words, “except Vi. Leave her for me, incapacitate her as needed, but don’t kill her.” 

Ekko sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, “this only works assuming they’re all in the same room. We miss one of them, and that’s a huge liability. Especially Caitlyn. I-” he paused, literally swallowing his pride, “I don’t think I can beat her in a fair fight.” 

“I could,” Jinx said, “though I might die in the process. Which is exactly why she’s our target, the other two are capable, sure; but if we take out the vampire, we win.” 

Sevika did not say anything as to agree to the plan, but she did start walking, “Well, let’s get a move on then. We don’t want to miss the fireworks.” 

——

The towering roof of the manor pyramid into the sky, gothic turrets protruding like warts from each of the four sides of one of the pyramid’s, likely for some sort of attic. Jinx considered them thoughtfully. “We could get in from up there.” 

Sevika pressed her hand over her eyes, shading them despite the sun still a couple hours from rising. “How exactly do you plan on scaling that?” 

Ekko seemed to elate with joy, and they both looked at home inquisitively. “I’ve got an idea.” He said, opening his all too large satchel bag. He dug around in it for what was an unlikely amount of time, despite the size of the bag, it was not that big as to lose any item inside it.

He pulled out a small device, with a barrel and a trigger, but it wasn't quite a gun. It looked more like an anchor, or a cross. The trigger was a small lever at the hind end of a long iron barrel, thin enough to be tucked away discreetly, the protruding ends too folded outwards. “Handles,” Ekko explained, to Jinx’s confusion. 

“You aim where you want to go, and pull this trigger. The pressure of the thin wire inside is built up so tight that the moment it’s released, it’s propelled outwards at an incredible velocity—Look, it’s a grappling hook. But it’s got handles, and it’ll pull you up with it.” 

Jinx folded the handles back down, staring at the device for a long moment, then back at Ekko, “You invented a pocket sized grappling hook? That pulls its user along with it, and reloads itself?” 

“Well, you still have to fidget the hook back in yourself, and invent is a strong word, really all-” 

Jinx grabbed his jaw, leaning towards him, pressing his thumb deep into the man’s cheek. His gaze cool, “Ekko,” he said, holding for dramatic effect, “You’re a genius. Thank you—for everything” He leaned in, kissing the man’s forehead, holding his pale, chapped lips against his skin, before removing himself entirely, carefully, as to not startle.

Ekko had minimal response to this, beyond murmuring a meek “Thank you,” and scowling at Sevika’s snort. 

Jinx tapped the grappling hook for good luck, and turned back to them both. “The signal will be the bomb, prepare yourselves near the easiest entrance to get in from, when the bomb goes off, navigate to the main hall, kill anyone except my sister.” 

They nodded at him, and he did so in return. 

He did not turn back afterwards, he went straight towards the manor, planning out every last maneuver. 

What struck him as the most strange aspect of the vampire's lair was the severe lack of security. There were two, notably human, guards at the main gate, but he’d seen no mass movement inside, no routes or patterns anyone followed. He couldn’t be sure there were no more beasts inside, but he suspected Caitlyn must have valued her privacy far more than her safety. 

He approached the rear corner of the building, he held tight to the handles of the grappling hook, and aimed high. He took one, long inhale of air, and flicked the trigger.

The unwinding of the wire was quiet, the only noise a slight scraping against metal, and then a quick klink at the top of the roof. There was a delay, and he stood there awkwardly for a moment, staring upwards. 

All at once the device tugged on him, rapidly pulling him higher, the force was more than he expected, and he club desperately to the handles, the ride could not have ended soon enough. He staggered onto the roof, tucking the grapple back into place and shoving it down his waist band. 

The slant on the roof was far steeper than he thought, he leaned forward, planting his feet and hands, and he slowly crawled toward the turret. 

He tried his best to be slow, keeping his movements light, he wasn’t sure just what exactly was below him, or who might hear. 

He clung to the edge of the turret, pushing against the window, but it did not open. He bit his lip, thinking. He tried pulling it open, and to his surprise, it budged, just a little. It was clearly locked, but nothing he couldn’t handle. He grabbed the grapple gun again, and quickly thrusted it into the center of the window, breaking the wood edging and shattering the center. 

If no one had heard him yet, he was sure they would have heard that. He pulled the window open with the barrel, and climbed inside, glass crunching as each foot planted onto the ground. 

It was an attic, which was lucky for him, because there might be some sort of insulation. Perhaps the sound didn’t carry. He searched the room, and found a door on the far wall. 

Through it was a staircase, leading into a decorative hallway, sparsely lit by oil lamps. 

He crept down the hall, his hand gripping his holster. He came across a split in the hallway, going three different directions. One to his right, left, and forward. He couldn’t orient himself in this opulent maze. 

He thought he heard footsteps coming from the right, perhaps a voice along with it. Faint, but clearly approaching. He made a split second decision to go straight. 

This seemed to be the right move, it led to a staircase, which led down to another equally confusing hall, and then by some miracle, he was staring down a series of doors, lining either side of the hallway, a window at the opposite end showed the faintest rays of sunlight beaming in the distance. He had to move quick. 

He walked down the hall, keeping his feet light, closing his eyes, and listening for any sounds. He heard, once more, steps approaching him, coming from the direction he had just been. He panicked, and looked at the series of rooms, and hid.

The inside of the room was stoic, to say the least. It had all the minimal requirements to consider something a bedroom. That is, it had a bed, a dresser, and beside it was an old shabby desk, with a chair to match. 

This horrified and thrilled him, not the desk itself, but what sat upon it. A box, with a glittering gold ribbon tied into a bow set to the side. 

This was their bomb, this was their shitty makeshift explosive that was meant to topple a family dynasty. 

The part that horrified Jinx was the fact that he was now trapped in the room, with no means of escape, a room which was no doubt occupied by the person following him. 

He grabbed the bomb, and slid under the bed, covering his mouth with his hand.

It was just in time, as the door cracked open, and the head of that ginger-haired officer woman he’d seen at the woman peaked through. This must be Maddie, he thought to himself. 

They’d done some digging prior to the meeting, and had found some interesting rumors of a cop who was a little too close to the chief of police. Some rumors went so far as to say they were lovers, living together in secret. Others said they were simply friends who benefited from what the other could offer. 

Maddie closed the door behind her, and placed her hand atop the desk. “I know you’re in here.” She said, coolly. “You can’t have escaped that quickly.” 

Jinx said nothing, he wasn’t sure if this was a bluff or not. He didn’t move his body at all, he began to hold his breath; which was horribly risky, if he began to suffocate he’d no doubt give himself away. 

“Why don’t we strike an agreement? Your sister is, quite literally, in bed with Caitlyn right now. No doubt doing some sort of consummation. Hey? Are you listening? I’m not stupid, I know you’re under the bed.” 

Irrationally, Jinx did not respond, but he did, as slow as he could physically manage, move his hand down to his holster. 

Maddie sighed, sitting on the desk. “I also know your friends are outside.” She said, kicking her feet, “Caitlyn thought those pastries were poison, she stopped me from opening them—thank God for that, I know your generous gift is a bomb.” 

“Look, Jinx, is it? I don’t like your sister. I mean—I don’t dislike her as a person, but it was better when it was just Cait and I, and I want her out of the picture. You either help me get rid of her here, alive, or I’m going to kill her in her sleep, frame her. I’m being straight with you, now will you please come out from under the bed?” 

Jinx did not come out, but he did speak, “Why?” He asked.

“Why? I told you, it was better with just us.”

“No, I mean why that? What does she pose that’s a threat to your stability? Is there something she’s stopping you and Cait from doing? Some plan she’s opposed to?” 

Maddie said nothing, and at first Jinx thought he’d struck true, that there was some horrible, unholy plot that Vi was, still, too righteous to endure. But he was wrong.

“No, nothing like that.” She said, and let it sit for a long, uninterrupted moment, “Cait took me in a long time ago. She’s my family, I’d give life for her. I love her. But that love has been ignored for the new, hottest toy she’s gotten her hands on. I can’t stand to see the way she looks at her, how she used to look at me.” 

“Cait hasn’t always been the best to me. It used to be good, real good. But recently she’s grown…short tempered. She raises her voice more, sends me away on longer, harder, more dangerous errands alone. She raises her hand to strike me more. It’s only gotten worse since Vi has been introduced.” 

“I want to see her back to how she used to be. I want us to be back to how we used to be, when everything was perfect, when we ruled London. Vi is in the way of that, so I’d see her gone.”

Jinx found himself, surprisingly, thoroughly convinced. “Okay.” He said, pushing the box out from under the bed first, then himself. He stood to face Maddie, half expecting a gun to his head. But she was just stuck, staring at the floor, swinging her legs that dangled from the desk. “What do you want? Me to kidnap her, take her away? Never let her return? Caitlyn would follow, she’d find her. I can’t promise I wouldn’t kill her if she gave me the chance.” 

Maddie nodded, “I know, and I hate you for that, and truthfully I’m still debating if I should kill you now—” 

(“You’d die where you sit, sinner.” He said.) 

“—But no, we need Vi to realize on her own that Caitlyn is the monster you hunters think she is. We’ll manipulate the battlefield. I know my mistress cares first and foremost for self-preservation. I know if she saw me and Vi about to die, about to be lost to her, and that she’d die if she tried to save us, she’d simply not. She’s pragmatic to a fault. We just have to put her in that situation.” Maddie looked at Jinx, “put a gun to my head, do what you think you must for Vi. Give Cait the impossible choice. Just, please, let her live, and let me live with her.” 

Jinx processed this, the whole plan sounded disjointed and faulty. This was the ramblings of a woman in desperation, with a half-baked idea of how to fix everything. He already knew this wouldn’t work, but he also knew there was only one way out of this room without fighting. “Yeah, okay.” He said, putting on his best act of confidence, “Here’s what I’m thinking we do.” 

——

“She shouldn’t be too focused on the bodies around, her instincts are dulled when she’s—distracted.” Maddie whispered, closing in on Kiramman’s quarters. 

Jinx nodded, choosing to simply not speak at all. 

They stood outside the door, Maddie put her index finger to her lips, in the universal sign for Be Quiet, which Jinx thought was unnecessary, since she’d been the only one talking. He backed away from the door, and she knocked on it. 

It opened almost immediately, and Maddie disappeared into the room. 

Jinx approached now, bomb in hand, gun in the other. He pressed his ear up to the door and listened. 

It was all so indecipherable gibberish to her, the door too thick and dense to relay any sounds that could be of use to him. He simply waited, and waited, until he heard a loud slap. No doubt that was Caitlyn, and then the room went silent soon after. He thought this must be his time, before anything grotesque could happen from here. 

He took a step back, and with all his strength, kicked open the door. 

The sight was something he could only take in for half a second, which was far too long to see that Vi was half naked, about to have an unholy threesome with the devil and her abused wife. 

Jinx threw the bomb to the ground, sliding close enough to Kiramman to satisfy him. 

“Sorry to interrupt, Sis.” 

He shot the bomb, and it exploded with a power he had not anticipated, the room erupting in a black and orange flame, the shockwave of which sent him flying backwards. 

He slammed into the floor hard, and before he was fully aware, pushed himself to his feet, just to have the appearance of someone who wasn’t down and out. 

His eyes burned, he squinted towards the room, but could see nothing through the cloud of fire and smoke. He couldn’t locate the vampire, which disturbed him most. 

He told himself to not worry about it, Ekko and Sevika were surely in the building already. They’d find her if he couldn’t. 

For now, he’d focus on destroying the rest of the manor.

——

Vi stood across from him, her face was an anger he hadn’t ever seen on her. It was a sheer hatred she might have only held for vampire’s, but every hunt she was able to conceal her feelings. Sure, she’d yell and taunt, but she never allowed her vitriol to be so clear before. Now, though, it was all so clear, like she had no above to control her emotions at all. 

“I remember how timid you used to be. How in a few months you’ve grown to lead a revolution throughout the country. One that’s brought death and destruction, political unrest, and at the same time, liberation.” She said, “you used to be so afraid. I used to know what you’d do in any given situation. Now?” She met his gaze, “now I only see mockery of what my brother used to be.” 

She raised her fists again, and charged. 

Jinx instinctively dodged to the side, ducking under her right hook, and he punched her in the ribs, three times.

Vi grunted, but bounced back, light on her feet, she held her guard high. She was fighting with her emotions, letting them take control. 

Jinx knew she was the better brawler, that at his best he couldn’t beat her when she was drunk and on her second fight. 

He was in luck, though, because this didn’t have to be a fair fight. The less time he took in fisticuffs with her, the better. 

She closed the gap again, punching low, aiming for his gut. 

He blocked just in time, lowering his left hand to shove the attack off course, in which he took the opportunity to create space. 

She gave him no reprieve, closing the distance once again. “My brother,” she grunted, “would never hurt innocents.” She kicked, the top of her foot hitting him in the calf. His balance faltered, and he was caught once more by his sister, her fist connecting with his jaw. 

He tumbled backwards, groaning at the pain, which was numbing quickly from the adrenaline coursing through his body. 

He’d been too careful with her thus far. Too scared to hurt her, despite his talk, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He couldn’t outright kill her. He’d always hoped the bomb would fail, that their plan would end up here, that he’d be able to talk reason into her. 

“You’ve got it all wrong, sis,” he was back on his feet before she could process, and he removed his grappling hook from his waistband. “I haven’t killed anyone.” He aimed it at her, and fired, the metal pronged hook soaring towards her faster than she could react, it hit her square in the chest, knocking the air out of her. She caught it before it could fumble to the ground. 

The wire tightened, and tugged at the hook, the prongs digging into her palm, slicing them open. It tore through the flesh, and recalled back to the gun. 

Vi hissed in pain, covering her now injured palm with the other. Blood spilled from the wound, a truly excessive amount of blood. 

She looked at him, her face contorting into some awful expression. 

Jinx took out his gun now, pointing it at her. Shot echoed across the manor, no doubt Sevika and Ekko fighting Caitlyn. 

“I’m not a killer. No more than you are, no more than we ever were together. I did not kill those men on the streets. She did. Your lover, she ordered the Yard to squash the rebellion by any means necessary.” 

“Lies!” Rebuked Vi, taking one step forward, and then another, showing no hesitancy staring down a barrel. “You’ve always been a liar, a fiend, you live up to your namesake.” She said, “And what of Vander? I saw you stake him-”

“A hallucination, Vi! You were deluded, poisoned by her!” He took steps back, in unison with her approach. He clung tight to the grappling hook in his offhand. “Why would I lie to you now, sister? I’ve never lied to you about her.” 

Vi scoffed, stopping. “Yet you still slept with her.” 

Jinx was dumbfounded, in the way one is entirely shocked to the core when they hear the most idiotic, hypocritical, arrogant statement they’ve ever heard that surely no intelligent being came up with it. He said, “So? At least I tried to kill her! You just whored yourself out to that—that whore!” He said, feeling awkward having repeated himself. But, really, he couldn’t help it, she was acting so obtuse he couldn’t be bothered to speak eloquently. “Lord Almighty, Violet. I’ve prayed for you, day in and day out. You’re not even wearing your crucifix anymore. You’re a concubine of Satan!” He said, gripping his gun so tight it trembled in his hand. His finger laid on the trigger, ready to fire. 

He turned the gun away from her, towards Maddie. “Take another step forward, and I shoot her in her sleep. A far too peaceful death for her, if you ask me.” 

Vi froze, turning back to Maddie, tracing the line from the barrel to her, as if she couldn’t believe they’d actually connect. She took a step back. 

“She doesn’t have anything to do with this. She’s a victim, don’t prove me right, Jinx. Don’t kill her.”

Jinx barked a laugh, “God! You’re even guilting me! You really have taken after the beasts. Back off, Vi. Or she’ll enjoy some lead.” 

Vi obeyed, continuing her retreat. Jinx shouted into the manor, as loud as he could manage. 

“Kiramman! I’ve got your darlings trapped between the fire and a barrel! Don’t make me choose their death! Get in here, now!” He commanded, the thought of ending it all here and now gave him a high he was happy to ride. 

The fighting stopped, and Jinx followed up with, “The main hall, front door!” 

He was sure she knew where he was, but he didn’t want the party to continue without his party.

Caitlyn appeared at the top of the landing, fires expanding around her. She stood at the center of that decadent staircase, now slowly being engulfed in flame. “Jinx. How lovely to see you again so soon.” She said.

Jinx pointed the grappling gun at Vi, keeping her pistol on Maddie.

His backup entered the room from the main door, seemingly taking the long route instead of treading across the crumbling mansion. They both followed in unison with Jinx, aiming their weapons at Caitlyn. 

“Here’s what’s going to happen, you descendant of Cain. You foul, repugnant writhing mass of flesh that dare call itself woman,” Jinx said, “We kill these two, and then we kill you. Or, we kill you, take Vi, and leave Maddie to her own devices. What’s your choice?”

Caitlyn scoffed, “What exactly is stopping me from killing you where you stand?” The floor crumbled around her, and she hopped down from the landing. “Jinx, sweet baby hunter, I’m afraid I can’t let you leave here alive.”

Jinxed exhaled, steadying his nerves, “Sevika, give her your vial.” 

She listened, ripping the vial of water from her neck, tossing it towards Caitlyn. 

“What you have in your hands is holy water, straight from the Vatican, blessed by the pope himself. Drink it now, and they live. Make me wait much longer, and we’ll just kill them.” 

Vi interrupted, “This is madness, Jinx! Even for you, you’re holding your sister hostage, you’re pointing your gun at a helpless woman and asking her lover to commit suicide for her life. You are twisted.”

Caitlyn was silent for a moment, strings of her hair falling over her face. She was sweating, and for a moment, Jinx had thought about that. He hadn’t known vampires could sweat. She looked, he thought, somewhat human. She was obviously exhausted, overwhelmed, losing herself due to all that she had lost this night. He almost felt sorry for her, he almost pitied her, if only she wasn’t what she was.

Those thoughts were buried and rotted when she began to laugh. It was strained and manic and so horribly Caitlyn Kiramman. It wasn’t without unease that Jinx had realized he was scared. He was truly terrified of this vampire, of her cunning, her sheer physical prowess. He had buried his fear with determination to save his sister. But now that everything had culminated in this moment, now that the plans that had once made everything seem so distant came to pass, he realized just how terrified he was of her. 

“I do love how self-assured you hunters can be. Please, do me a favor and kill them both, see what I care.” She threw the holy water behind her, into the fire. “Humans come and go. You have burned my manor, threatened my possessions at gunpoint, and dare to make demands of me?” Caitlyn hissed. “You ape, you lowly creature. I’d sooner cast myself into the flames you’ve stoked, I’d shoot myself in the head with a silver bullet, fall onto a sword of a saint, and burn a cross into my skin before I ever take an order from you.” 

Jinx felt a pang of relief in his chest. At least, he thought, this part of the plan had worked, “And yet my sister will defend you to the death, she has forgotten your kind wear lies like a shield.” 

Jinx aimed both guns away from the hostages, and towards the vampire. “Burn in hell.” 

The Revolutionary Party all let loose on the woman, guns firing, a barrage of bullets hurtling towards Caitlyn. 

Though, by the time they would have met their mark, she was gone. 

She appeared almost immediately behind Ekko, her elbow connecting with spine, and he crumbled to the ground, alive but twitching, stuck. 

Sevika growled and swung her prosthetic arm wide, the vampire tried to dodge, but it extended outwards, steam shooting out from various vents built into the contraption, it caught Caitlyn in the hip, and sent her crashing straight into the wall. 

Sevika was, by Jinx’s count, perhaps the only person in the world who could hit harder than Vi with her still intact hand. He had helped design her prosthetic to have several unique quirks, as well as packing a more severe punch. 

Jinx wasted no time on the follow up, aiming his gun at the vampire and firing again, this time hitting his mark. The bullet sunk into the beast's shoulder, steam escaping from the entrance wound, no doubt the silver was burning away at her flesh.

This did little to stop her onslaught, she kicked her heel up and out, hitting Sevika in the thigh, she bounced, and swung her other leg to connect with the bigger woman’s face, sending her toppling momentarily. 

Before Caitlyn could return to her stance, Sevika’s hand wrapped wholly around her leg, and yanked, pulling her to the ground. 

She tried to roll free, but was caught by the mountain of muscle and metal that was Sevika, reached down, grabbing her throat, and put all of her weight on it, hoping to crush it with sheer mass alone. 

Caitlyn tensed her free hand, and grabbed Sevika’s ribs, digging her shortened claws in. She struggled to rip the woman free, but enough stabbing and hitting had loosened Sevika’s grip enough to tear her off. 

Before Caitlyn could do anymore to press her advantage, Jinx took Sevika’s place, pressing her boot down on Caitlyn’s throat. He aimed his gun at her skull, pushing down on her windpipe. “It’s over, vampire.” 

“Stop it, Jinx! Stop!” Maddie’s voice cut through the noise, she was on her knees, obviously having failed crawling over to the fight. “This wasn’t the plan, Jinx, stop it, please.” 

“Plan? You teamed with the hunter? You backstabbing-”

The boot pressed harder on her neck, and Jinx looked towards Maddie, solemnly. “I’m sorry, Maddie. This is for the best.” He meant it, he thought. He did think ill of her, but part of him knew she was still a victim of the aristocratic vampire, just like everyone else in London would be. 

“Kill me,” tears fell down her face, her hands planted to the ground. She looked at Jinx, pleading, begging, “Please, please. Take me, don’t kill her, she doesn’t deserve it.” 

Caitlyn grabbed the bottom of Jinx’s boot, struggling to push him off, but lifted just enough against his weight to speak, “Maddie, darling. Help me, please. I love you.” 

Jinx almost burst into another fit of laughter. It was such a miserable, pathetic performance that he didn’t regret letting her attempt acting human. She tried so hard to look so desperate, but the vengeance in her eyes so clearly betrayed any semblance of humanity. “I’m putting an end to this.” 

A trigger was pulled, a bullet let loose, someone was shot. 

Jinx looked to his right, and saw Vi there, struggling to stand. Jinx stared, disbelieving. “Vi…?” He managed. 

Vi turned back to him, smiling, blood soaking her teeth. “Finish this.” She said, coughing, blood spilling out over her lips. 

Jinx forced his boot down on Caitlyn’s neck, and looked down at her. 

Caitlyn hissed, barring her fangs, trying to lean forward and bite at Jinx’s ankle. 

“Don’t be like that,” Jinx said, “it’s a bad look on you.” 

He pulled the trigger, the bullet landing squarely between her eyes, all the fight she had immediately falling limp against the wood floor. Jinx removed his boot, nudging the corpses head with the tip of the shoe. 

He turned to look at Maddie, who was horrified. She was a broken woman, sitting on the floor, her one and only constant in life now dead in front of her. The gun had fallen out of her hands. She dropped her head towards the floor and cried. 

Vi crumbled too, holding the bullet wound on her gut. 

Jinx hurried over to her, laying her on her back, pressing her hands over the hole. “You’re okay, sis. Come on, you’re okay.” 

He was panicked, pushing down hard on the wound, blood seeping through his fingers, covering his hands in a thick layer of crimson. Vi placed her hand atop her brothers. 

Jinx looked up to Sevika, who was helping Ekko stand. “Sevvy! Get him over here, Vi’s injured. She’s been shot.” 

Ekko fell to his knees beside Vi, moving Jinx’s hands away. He examined the wound carefully, pressing his index against the wound, testing. She let out a pained groan. “Come on, man. Be careful.” She said. 

Ekko shook his head. “Sevika, help me get her outside. We need to make it quick, the Yard will be all over this place soon. Jinx, finish whatever you need to do. Meet us back at the hideout.”

Sevika, not carefully enough, picked up Vi, and Ekko leaned on her for support. They left the burning manor, leaving Jinx alone with Maddie, who was still sobbing into the floor. 

Jinx stepped over to her, looking down at the distraught mess below him. “It doesn’t have to end here.” He said, offering his hand to her. “You can leave the Yard, forget this life. You can join us, we would welcome you. We are not punitive.” 

Maddie looked up at him, and he could not exactly understand what it was she might be thinking. She was a mixture of perhaps every emotion one could feel in any given moment. 

“You betrayed me.” 

“Your mistress betrayed you long ago. There was never going to be any freedom with her.”

“Freedom?” She mimicked, “that’s what this is all for? You’ve burnt down this beautiful home, destroyed my beautiful life, you and your sister, for freedom?” 

Jinx did not respond to this provocation. 

“That’s the problem with you idealists. You’ll bring Armageddon for concepts you neither understand nor embody yourselves. Leave me to die a second time, with her. At least give me the dignity, the freedom, to choose that.” 

He bowed his head in understanding, kicking the gun away from her reach as a precaution, and left her for the fire. 

Chapter Text

Vi leaned against her brother, arm wrapped around his shoulder. A pained noise escaped her when she tried to stand on her own, once more falling into his support. “Fuck, Jinx.” She said, gathering her remaining strength to speak. “I don’t know if I can do this yet, I’ve not had a week to rest.” 

Jinx helped her sit against the table in the center of The Room. He ran his fingers through his hair. It was a habit he’s started doing when stressed, Vi recognized it immediately. His hair was a full, choppy head of deep blue, and it reminded her of the ocean every time he brushed it back with his hand, like waves against sand. 

“You have to be at her wake. It’ll be suspicious if you aren’t.” He said. 

“It’s already suspicious that she and I are considered missing. She’s only thought dead because of Maddie. We don’t even know if that’s true.” Vi watched his brother move across the room as she spoke, as if he already knew what she was going to say; just the same, she already knew what he was doing. 

“For the love of God, Jinx, don’t pull out the paper.” 

Jinx pulled out the paper, a newspaper he had stolen from a paperboy on the streets. 

Chief of Police Dead?

‘The body of Police Chief Caitlyn Kiramman, has not yet been recovered from her manor after the devastating fire that erupted earlier this week. Her right hand, Maddie Nolen, was found in hysterics late in the morning, atop what she claimed was Kiramman’s ashes. 

Despite her account, no bodily remains were found within the home, London police pronounced her missing. 

Maddie Nolen has nonetheless prepared a funeral in honor of the Chief. 

The whereabouts of the perpetrators are as of yet unknown, but an insider has informed The Times that the criminals likely have ties to the infamous Revolutionary Party gang.’

Jinx slid the paper over to Vi. Pointing his eyes down at it furiously, as though with enough force he can convince her. 

“I’m not going, Jinx.” Vi said. “First of all, I don’t think she died—”

“Of course she died! I shot her with the silver bullet.” 

“—Even so, Vander had found some cases of vampires being immune to Silver.” 

“Vander also rarely ran tests on living beasts.” Jinx crossed his arms, defiant. “Besides, she never showed up in my mirror, back at home? It was lined with silver.” 

Vi seemed unconvinced. “Still, even if it incapacitated her long enough for the sun to do its job, I’m not so sure.” 

Jinx approached his sister, eyes steady on hers, serious. He placed his hands on her shoulders, leaned forward, and stared for what, to Vi, was an uncomfortable amount of time. “Listen,” he said, “She’s dead. You deified her, you were under her spell. Do not do it again. There is no Caitlyn Kiramman. There is only God’s will, I am his sword and his will has been done through me. She is dead by my hand. I saw the silver—holiest of metals— enter her brain. She is dead.” 

Vi held his gaze, searching his face for any doubt, any sign that perhaps he was not wholly sure of this fact, that maybe she really did not die. She couldn’t help but feel ashamed of her disappointment when she found no sign of his faltering. 

“Do you think it’s possible for the beasts to be like man? For them to live humanely, to not kill what could be their fellow man?” She asked. “Caitlyn—she seemed determined for this goal. No matter how much she prioritized herself over all of us, she really believed it.” 

Jinx turned away, shaking his head. “The best case scenario is for a vampire to begin to believe their own lies. Belief in them or not, their true nature doesn’t change. They use lies to manipulate us, to feed off us, for power and wealth and food. Whether or not they get caught up in the web themselves matters little.” 

Vi looked down at her hands, examining the bandages that cocooned her left. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever be able to match her old self again, after the damage her body sustained. 

She tried to think of something else. 

“How’s Ekko?” She asked, “I heard Sevika saying he was lucky, a couple centimeters over and she could have snapped his spine with that hit.”

“I was with him this morning.” Jinx said, her voice was taut, “He’s improving everyday. Walking around again, he’s still as smart as ever, and as full of anxieties.” He smiled, warm with relief. “I’m going to see him soon, actually. Do you want to come? He’d be happy to see you.” 

——

Jinx hurried up to the top of a hill, overlooking the cemetery. He took out an eyeglass, and examined the scene from afar. 

“I can’t believe I agreed to come with you.” Vi lamented, whisper-yelling. 

“You agreed because you love your brother oh-so-much.” He said, “besides, you’re just as curious as I am about the funeral, admit it.”

“Yes, obviously, but-”

“Yes, I know, you’re here for your ex-mistress. It’s a bit gauche to attend your own funeral. I don’t think she’d be here even if she wasn’t a pile of ash, besides—”

He focused on the scene with his eyeglass, spotting Maddie out in the crowd. She was sobbing still, reapplying her handkerchief to her face every few seconds. “I don’t believe your sister in vampirism could be this good of an actress.”

Jinx handed the eyeglass to his sister, she hesitated, and when she did look upon the crowd it was not for very long, pulling it away from her face in dissatisfaction.

Jinx laughed, mocking, still as cruel as ever. He took it back from her. “Maddie is next, sis.” He said, a faint smile on his face. “I made her an offer, she refused, instead siding once more with the vampire, even in death.” 

“That hardly seems necessary, Jinx. She is neutered without Cait.” 

Jinx huffed, annoyed, but seeming to concede to this fact. “Fine, but only out of respect for you, not out of any goodwill for her.” 

Vi felt satisfied, momentarily at peace. 

“There’s the casket. Damn, that things nice. I wonder if that’s what she slept in.” 

The pallbearers carried the coffin into the tomb, hardly struggling at all. 

The tomb itself was just as Venetian Gothic as Kiramman’s manor had been, pillars climbing up the sides, holding up the stone roof, decorated with geometrical relief patterns.

A terribly mischievous grin grew across his face, he glanced down at Vi, sitting against the tree. “I guess you would know, wouldn’t you? What was her coffin like? Was it comfortable? Let me guess, red velvet?” 

Vi looked up at him, flipped him off, and laughed. “Fuck you, asshole,” she said, not unkindly. 

They watched the funeral from afar, long after the eulogy, and after most of the not insignificant number of mourners left. 

“We really should be going.” Vi said, watching as the sun began to set behind the trees, basking the sky in hues of orange and yellow. “I’m not in the state to hunt, and I can only imagine how bad the vampire infestation gets here.” 

Jinx did not motion to respond, or do much of anything at all. He simply watched the crowd. “We should check the tomb tomorrow.” 

Vi nearly shouted, before catching herself. “Are you insane? Why?” 

“To check the coffin, obviously.” 

“For what? Kiramman? Why would she be in there?” 

“For something, the pallbearers might as well have been going for a jog.” He said. 

Vi sighed, “I won’t defile a corpse.” 

“We both have already defiled that corpse. What difference does it make now?” He jest. 

——

The moon hung high in the sky, clouded over, light seldom catching the floor of the cemetery. 

Jinx pushed his body weight against the door, and it didn’t budge. He tried again, making no progress. “Are you going to help me with this? Or just stand there and watch your poor brother struggle?” 

Vi rolled her eyes, placing herself down in the softest patch of dirt. “I’m just here for the show. I’ve already told you I’m not a grave robber.” 

“Why is that where you draw the line?” He muttered. 

He pulled out his cast iron crowbar, and stuck the tip of it in between the slots of the door. He pushed his fully body weight into the bar, digging his heels into the ground and attempting to drive himself forward. 

There was a quick metallic creak, as though a bolt had snapped, and the door swung open, sending Jinx stumbling forward. 

Vi laughed as he hit the ground, her hand clasped over her mouth, trying in vain to muffle the sound. 

“Fuck you,” Jinx said, pushing himself to his feet, “at least I got it open.” 

He brushed himself off, trying to mentally regain his dignity, and he entered the tomb. 

The inside was altogether disappointing. He had expected an exorcise in wealth, gold trims and decorative carvings in the walls, he expected the coffin to be sealed with a marble slab, carved to the vampires likeness.

Instead of these grand declarations, he found the coffin was placed upon a simple foundation of stone. The interior of the tomb wholly unadorned.

He approached, disappointment notwithstanding, and placed his hand atop the lid of the coffin. He could feel his heart pounding against his flesh, the tightening of his lungs, the slight tremor in his hands. He wasn’t sure what he hoped to find inside the coffin. 

“Open it,” a voice said from behind, “I don’t know what it is you still want with my mistress, but open it and be done with her.” 

Jinx turned, Maddie stood in the doorway. He saw Vi standing outside behind her, tense. 

“What do you want?” He asked. 

“What do I want? I want to mourn. I want to remember the great woman that you’ve killed. How should I comfort myself, knowing I played a role in the murder of my mistress, but through mourning her loss—but through guilt.” 

Jinx, apathetic to the woeful words, pressed, “But you expected us to be here, the timing is too perfect. Why are you here?” 

“I’m here to tell you to leave this behind. I watch Caitlyn’s body struggle against the poison you shot her with. I watched her look at me, knowing she was going to die. I heard her tell me she loved me, one last time, before she burned to ash in the morning sun. I’m here to tell you that your job is done, Jinx.” She said, tears streaming down her face the more she spoke. Still, she seemed determined to say her peace, “I would ask that you leave the coffin closed. I would ask that you let her have this one kindness. But I know you hunters, and I know you would not even grant her that. She sought peace, and here you are, breaking into her grave.” 

Jinx stared at her for a long moment, watching the thin rays of moonlight cast her shadow over the mausoleum. “What’s in it?” 

“What I could gather of her. Ashes, sealed in a crucifix.”

“How do I know she’s dead, then? How do I know she won’t come back and tear out my throat in my sleep?” 

Maddie thinned her lips, pressing them tight together, “All you have is my word, which seems worth a hell of a lot more than yours, hunter.” 

The world was hardly material outside the tomb, for a moment, Jinx was focused entirely on Maddie, on her words, on how her body moved when she spoke, if there was any indication of a lie. He didn’t know her well enough to say for certain, but he could not detect an ounce of doubt in her inflection. The world was quiet except for this conversation. He thought absently about how perhaps this was all some elaborate scheme; that Kiramman might jump out of the coffin now, sink her teeth into his throat, and end it all. He thought that, if he did not know for certain if she was dead, if Vi’s doubts were right, if she was some sort of monster that had gone beyond the limits of the vampire, that there is a chance she might yet live. One day he could be old, near decrepit himself, and she might pull him into an alleyway, ending his life then and there. 

He decided, in that moment, not to let this sort of paranoia engulf him. Not to let himself live the rest of his life in fear of a ghost. He stepped away from the coffin, leaving it shut. “Fine.” He said, “I won’t go any further.” 

“Thank you,” Maddie said, relieved, her chest a little less puffed up, her posture less straight. 

“One whiff of your meddling with the undead again, though,” he took slow, deliberate steps towards her, each time the sound of his boots echoing off the walls, “I will not hesitate to do unto you what I have done unto her.” 

“You are still a fugitive, wanted by the law. I let you go now simply because I know this is a fight I cannot win. If I see you again, a prison sentence will be the least of your worries.” She said, not flinching away from his intimidation. 

Jinx smiled, patting her shoulder, “Good.” 

He stepped around her, nodding his head to Vi, signaling to leave. She watched Maddie for a moment longer. “I’m sorry it had to end this way,” She said, “you were a good friend to me.” 

“Go, Vi. You are her murderer too. We aren’t friends, not anymore.” 

Vi went to speak, but a hand caught her wrist. “Come on, sis. Let’s leave.” 

She wanted to argue, wanted to fight it, wanted to make everything right, have a happy ending for everyone. 

Instead, she said nothing.

——

Since the night at the cemetery, the duo had not seen Maddie again. She would eventually take Kiramman’s place as chief of police, and worked mostly in legal proceedings and the office.

They continued, however, to hunt, working in tandem with unions to antagonize the aristocracy, causing them to lash out at the public, make themselves known. That’s when they’d strike.

Ekko and Sevika both worked alongside the sibling duo, and with their help, and some extortion from the bank, they were able to abandon their old hideout in a rundown factory for more lavish conditions—that of the Vander property. 

The group would remain in London for the foreseeable future, hunting, improving labor conditions. They hadn’t seen or heard of Caitlyn since the night of the fire, which has since been labeled a tragic accident, a lapse in security.

Sometimes, however, late at night when Jinx is alone, he feels a nagging at the back of his head. That maybe one day, some twisted sense of justice will come to pass, that god will forsake him, and Caitlyn Kiramman will appear before him, his own personal grim reaper. 

For now, he tries to focus on the present, and recruiting new members into their party, just to be sure the world will be prepared to carry on without him, should that night come.