Dark Souls

Progress

Ilaria

Staring at the photos I took on my phone, I pinched the screen to enlarge the writing as I read about the similar murder cases that spanned over the last few years. And how did these highly-confidential cases happen to fall into my hands? After quenching my thirst with Ronnie, my mind felt clearer and with it came a surge of energy and determination to force Archer to at least see how helpful I could be in this case. I decided to head back up to his office, going over and over all the reasons he should hire me, but when I reached the doorway I noticed him at the end of the corridor in deep conversation with two men. And my plan changed. I saw an opportunity and I took it.

He’d left his office unlocked. I rushed inside and snapped as many pictures of the cases on his desk as I could before I heard his footsteps coming back down the corridor. When he appeared, looking a little startled to see me on my hands and knees on his office floor where I pretended I was looking for my phone, I gave my best performance of relief at finding it under the chair and asked how Amelie was doing to immediately change the subject to something he was obsessed with. I left without him suspecting a thing and now I had more information on this killer, which I could use to impress the SIA with my insights and convince them to hire me. See, motherf*cking wrecking ball.

Surely, if all these murders were committed by the same killer, there had to be some unknown link between the victims. Some were human and some were supernatural but all were killed in a similarly brutal way. Most had organs removed, many bitten into and not always the heart. There was no time frame, or schedule to these deaths. Some happened within days of each other, others months. There was even a dry spell of over a year. I started scribbling notes in my leather-bound journal, searching for any similarities within the subjects' lives. Most were criminals of some kind. Though some had squeaky clean track records which I didn’t trust and a few of the supernaturals that had been killed had no previous history, as if they hadn’t even existed before their deaths made them known. And these murders weren’t just happening in America. Archer had found similar accounts all around the world. Europe mainly.

I zoomed in on the gory images of lifeless bodies and how they were found. Instead of repulsion and empathy for the victims like many people would feel when faced with this brutality, I felt a magnetic pull drawing me in, feeding my curiosity even more. The way these people were killed was with chilling artistry. Like how an impressionist paints a picture to invoke emotion or a reaction. Perhaps each kill had a deeper meaning to the victims’ lives. Slyvester, for example. He was thrown from the roof of his own apartment block. A rope had been found up there along with a number of knives and daggers that belonged to Graidern but had been used by the killer to torment and play with him before. Maybe dangling him from the 350 ft building? The killer wanted his fear more than the kill. His death, caused by the removal of his heart, was vicious but quick and then his body was still thrown over the side as if it was worthless. Left in a dumpster, along with his gnawed heart, as if to say that was the grave he deserved? Or was I just reading too much into this? Urgh. I dropped the pen and rubbed my temples with my fingers. What was wrong with me? Why did morbid stuff like this intrigue me so much?

I’ve always known I’m different from the rest of my family. I’m not normal by any means of the word. But as my Grandpapi likes to say, what’s so fun about being normal? Where most of my family radiated warmth and empathy for others, I come across as direct, cold and intimidating. Yes, my family is feared among supernaturals for their power, but they are also loved and admired too.

My parents are the leaders of supernaturals in America, the King and Queen. And my grandparents each have their own reputations which has earned them a huge amount of respect. The Romano-Black name was larger than life among the supernatural circles and with that came attention wherever they went. My brothers and I were no different. But while Lorcan and Leif always attracted the kind of attention that had people fawning over them like horny, star-struck groupies who felt blessed to be within their orbit even for a few minutes, everyone’s reaction to me was far more wary. Probably because I gave off ‘come too close and I f*cking bite’ vibes. Which, let’s be honest, wasn’t so much a vibe but a reality. People didn’t know how to approach me and preferred to keep their distance, which suited me just fine. On first impressions, I knew people thought I was threatening, weird and unnerving, but I had absolutely no desire to fit in and be like everyone else. And I didn’t let it bother me because the people who mattered, loved me for the crazy, blunt goth I was.

“When your mother called to ask if I had seen you, I knew exactly where to look.”

I shut my journal when I heard the deep, soothing voice of my Grandpapi as he strolled through his library towards me wearing his tight black shirt with matching trousers, crisp and pristine, as if he hadn’t just spent the day in his role as Headmaster at Academy Pro Omnibus. My face lit up with a warm, genuine smile that I reserved only for him. My favourite person in the whole damn world. It was no secret that we were super close and though he’d never admit it, everyone knew I was his favourite grandchild. The nickname princess was all his fault but he and my dad are the only two who I let it slide with.

Arius Romano, a vampire and warlock hybrid, was once the King of his vampire clan before his daughter, my tribrid mother Ruby, took over. Now, he is a beloved Headmaster at a supernatural academy that teaches young kids how to control their powers. But he hasn’t always been such a pillar to society. He had a dark and twisted upbringing that still haunts him to this day, and he’d be the first to admit that if it wasn’t for finding his soulmate in my Grandma Maddy, his life would have taken a very different direction. I related to him the most out of everyone in my family. He didn’t give a sh*t what people thought about him either and there was an impulsiveness and unpredictability to him that made him lethal and downright ruthless when he needed to be. But beneath the hard exterior, was a man with a big heart who loved his family more than anything.

“Scootch over,” he ordered, handing me a steaming mug of black coffee. My crack addiction. Yes, I needed blood to survive but I was also fueled heavily by caffeine. I lifted my legs and let him sink down onto the plush velvet sofa next to me before resting my clumpy goth boots back down on his lap. Of course he knew where to find me. The expansive, gothic library in his castle in England was my little slice of heaven. I’d spend hours here as a child, getting lost among the ancient books, talking to the ghostly presences that I believed lingered between the aisles and finding sanctuary from the noisiness of the world outside. He made me this cosy reading nook when I was a teenager, right next to the fireplace and swore no one else would be permitted to use it without my permission. It became my safe space– a place where I could think clearly.

“What do you have there?” He asked, his mismatched blue and brown eyes narrowing on my journal as he raised his own steaming mug to his lips to take a sip.

“Nothing much. Just some research for a SIA case.”

He hummed gruffly, his eyebrows tightening and a small frown forming on his lips. He knew how badly I wanted to become an agent but he, my dad and my uncle had banded together to make the ‘Keep Ilaria Safe’ club and he was the bloody president. However, I knew I had more influence over him than most and I was slowly breaking him down. He’d finally agreed to let me be involved with the research and mind-reading after weeks of begging, so that was progress.

“Sienna and Archer were impressed with my arrest the other night too. They said I showed promise as an agent.” Okay, that wasn’t exactly what they said but a little exaggeration never harmed anyone.

"Hmm,” he replied again, staring down at the surface of his coffee.

“Yep. It was such a thrill. Going undercover and arresting that assh*le. And it felt so good, knowing I was the reason there was one less d*ckwad prowling the streets because of me.”

“Hmhmm.”

“And it was easy too. I didn’t even break a sweat. Or lose control of my demon. And man did I really, really want to make him bleed. But…I showed restraint. I was given a clear mission and I followed protocol.”

“Well done,” he said in a clipped tone. He gave me a small smile and patted my knee before drinking more coffee. Well done? Damn, tough audience.

“Soooo, I definitely feel ready to start the training and- ” I paused and frowned when he immediately started shaking his head. “Grandpapi! Just hear me out.”

“Princess, we both know you weren’t in any real danger the other night. He was human. Being an SIA agent means you’ll face the worst, most savage supernaturals that have no loyalty to anyone but themselves. I get why you want to do this but it’s a firm no. By all means, help them out with that clever brain of yours but there is no way in hell you are becoming a field agent.”

I folded my arms over my chest and scowled at him. He chuckled, shaking his head when he caught my expression. “You let Raiden, your own son, be an agent! How is this any different?”

“It’s different,” he muttered, avoiding my eyes.

“Why? Because I’m a girl?” I snapped, daring him to take the bait.

“No,” he replied calmly. “Because you are my little princess and if anything were to ever happen to you, I would wreak havoc from the very darkest parts of my soul. And I’ve worked too hard to be a good man to let the devil out now.”

“So this is about you?” I laughed with disbelief. “You want to keep me safe for your own self-preservation?”

He tilted his head slightly, looking out across the library, deep in thought. “That is one way to look at it.”

“So unfair,” I grumbled, slouching further back into the cushions. “Well you may think that but all it looks like to me is that you don’t trust that I can look after myself. Which, in turn, reflects very poorly on you.”

The corners of his eyes creased with amusement. Of course he was finding this funny. “How so?”

“Well, you trained me. You’ve taught me from the moment I could walk how to protect myself. How to fight. How to control my vampire instincts and how to use them. I was top of my classes at the Academy in everything! I’ve worked my ass off to make you proud. Why isn’t it enough?” I moved my gaze to my journal but could feel his deep sigh and how his demeanour changed to concern. Oh yes, I knew exactly what I was doing when it came to my Grandpapi.

“Princess, I am so proud of you. You know that. Don’t be upset with me, you know I can’t stand it. It’s only because I love you so much and want what’s best for you. Becoming an agent will mean you have to tap into your darkness regularly and without complete control over your demon, it can start to change you. I know how hard it is to fight that feeling and don’t want you to have to suffer through that every day just for a job that you don’t even need to do.”

“It’s not about need. I know I don’t need to get a job but I want to! I want to do something meaningful and it makes me feel alive! You know better than anyone that unless we give our demons something to focus on, we start to go insane!”

I peered up at him from under my lashes and I knew I was winning. His face had softened as he searched mine carefully.

“Is that the only reason you want to do this?”

I frowned. “What other reason would there be?”

He raised one eyebrow. “Your brothers? And Neve? The fact that they left to go on a crazy adventure to another realm and you are stuck here. I know it hasn’t been easy being away from them these last few weeks. I never had siblings, but being separated as triplets must be very hard. And with your best friend gone too. You must be lonely—”

“This has nothing to do with them.” I shook my head, ignoring the tightening in my chest which always grew when I thought of how much I missed them. “This is about me. And what I want, Grandpapi. Yes, it’s hard being away from them. We’ve never spent more than a day apart since we were born. But I see this as an opportunity to find myself. To figure out who I am without them around. If only you’d let me.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. I tried to suppress my smile, knowing he was so close to giving in.

“I’ll think about it.”

I dived forward, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing him. That was as good as yes. He chuckled, tapping his hand against my forearm.

“Don’t get too excited. That isn’t a yes. But I’ll speak to Raiden. Find out more about it all.”

“Thank you! And dad?” I released and gave him a pleading look.

“You’re on your own there.” He smirked as I dropped my head and groaned.

My phone started vibrating next to me and when I saw the caller ID, a flutter of adrenaline had my heart racing. s**t. Had they realised I’d looked at the cases?

“Oh hey girl. How are you?” I answered in an overly friendly voice, glancing at Grandpapi in warning. He lifted his hands and stood up, ruffling my hair out of place before strolling out of the library to give me some privacy. I didn’t want him to be here if I was about to be scolded by Sienna, even though he’d be sure to find out about it through Raiden.

“Oh, uh. Hi.” Sienna was clearly taken aback by my cheeriness. I dropped the act.

“Sorry. Grandpapi was sitting next to me.”

She chuckled slightly. “I see. He is still not budging?”

“Oh he’s budging. Just at the pace of a snail.”

“These Romano men.” She tutted. “So headstrong.”

“But they have nothing on the women,” I added, which caused her to laugh. It was quite unbelievable that Sienna and I were in such a good place after our rocky start. It’s safe to say, I wasn’t her biggest fan. I pride myself on having a good judge of character and I knew she was hiding something from the moment I met her, even though I frustratingly couldn’t read her mind. But that was all water under the bridge now and she’d proved her loyalty to my uncle and this family so I didn’t hold a grudge. I was even starting to consider her as a friend as well as my uncle’s mate.

“So I shouldn’t really be telling you this but I knew you’d want to know seeing as he was your arrest-”

My spine straightened. I could tell by her tone that something was wrong. “Eddie Hughes? Don’t tell me they’ve released him on bail or something?”

“God no. He’s… He’s dead.”

“W-What?” I frowned with confusion. How could the assh*le be dead? He was in police custody and was about to be locked behind bars for a very long time.

“I’m about to head down there now with the clean-up team but I thought you’d—”

“Where? I’m coming!” I shot off the sofa with my phone balanced between my shoulder and cheek as I quickly shoved all my belongings in my rucksack.

“No, you can’t, this is now a SIA investigation. I shouldn’t have even told you.”

I paused. “Wait. A supernatural killed him? When? Why?”

“That is what we are trying to figure out. The police vehicle that was escorting him to the prison was ambushed last night. Raiden is at the scene now and he said it’s not pretty.”

“How did he die?” My heart was now hammering with excitement and adrenaline.

“I don’t know yet. Like I said, I’m on my way there now.”

“Wait for me. Where are you?” I asked again. There was no way I was missing out on this. And luckily, my Grandpapi had gifted all of his most loyal vampires with the magical ability to shimmy, so I would be able to transport myself from England to America in a puff of smoke. There were some limitations though. I could only teleport to places I had already been to and if I wasn’t too thirsty for blood.

Sienna sighed deeply. “I’m at HQ. I’m leaving in two minutes—”

I hung up the phone and dematerialised behind black mist, grinning when I appeared right before her in her office in New York. She narrowed her amber eyes at me and hung up the phone. “You are going to get me in so much trouble for this.”

“I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it up to your fiancé.” I winked.