Past Life (10 page)

“
What are you thinking?” Will asked.

Frankie shook her head; this wasn't the place to talk. She knelt down, took off one of her gloves, closed her eyes then touched the grass, the ground and the stones around the animals.

Will saw a number of expressions cross her face and none of them looked pleasant. When she opened her eyes she looked pale and slightly queasy. He noticed that she was careful to keep her back to the press who were waiting a little way down the hill.

Finally she seemed satisfied and stood beside him. She still looked pale.

“
You okay?”

“
I'll be fine. Do you have a hat?” she asked.

“
A hat?” Will looked incredulous.

“
Yeah, they weren't interested in me on my way up but I don't want to be photographed on the way back.”

“
Ma'am,” the constable who was waiting by the scene took a step towards them. “Here,” he handed her a black beanie.

“
Thank you. I'll leave it with D.C.I. Campbell.” Frankie smiled and pulled the woollen hat on.

“
I'll have to stay and speak to the press,” Will said. “Where do you want to meet up?”

Usually Frankie would say her house, because from there she could access the station computer and any files related to the case but with her parents staying there, she knew that wasn't an option,

“
I'll meet you at the station.”

Will nodded and they headed down the hill. Frankie kept her head down and pushed through the crowd. The press focused on Will and he gave a brief statement before taking a few questions. 

When Will got back to the station, he headed straight to his office expecting to find Frankie waiting for him but his office was empty. There was however, a message on his desk saying she was waiting in reception for him. He went down to collect her, wondering why she hadn't just flashed her M.I.5 identification.

“
I didn't want you to face any awkward questions,” she explained.

Will was touched by her consideration. When they got to his office he closed the door and sat behind the desk.

“
What did you see?” he asked, getting straight down to business. If he had to accept this supernatural stuff, he was going to be as reasoned and rational about it as he could.

“
Nothing nice. It's definitely a human man doing these things, they're sacrifices to his God, Hermes.” Frankie shuddered at the memory.

“
Did you say Hermes? The Greek God of the underworld.”

Frankie nodded. “I have no idea if gods are real or not, but I do know there are things in parallel dimensions or other realms, whatever you want to call them. Those creatures sometimes have huge amounts of power. Maybe they're gods or demons or the devil, I don't know, but they are real and some people figure out how to harness some of their power.”

“
So this god or demon wants dogs sacrificed to it?”

“
I have no idea,” Frankie shrugged. “These sorts of legends are usually full of untruths. There are a few reliable occult manuals, but mostly they're very closely guarded and any sensitive information is never reprinted. Most of these cults are based on Chinese Whispers, things get passed down from generation to generation, and each retelling adds another layer of exaggeration to the tale, but there's usually some basic truth there. Maybe this creature does want Fluffy sacrificed to it, or maybe it's just blood magic and the actual sacrifice isn't necessary.”

“
So what happens to the blood he drains from these animals? SOCO said there was very little at the scene.”

“
He drinks it,” Frankie explained, looking queasy. “He bleeds them into clay pots, adds some herbal mix and... drinks it.”

“
Oh God!” Will turned a little green himself. “Why?”

“
He's after eternal life.”

“
Why doesn't he just become a vampire? Sounds like he'd be good at it,” he sounded bitter.

“
Vampires only change people they like, Will, I doubt any of them would go near a creep like that with a ten foot barge pole.”

Will rubbed his hands over his face as if he was washing without water.

“
Okay, let's see if I've got this clear,” he took a moment to collect his thoughts. “This arsehole is killing pets as a sacrifice to a god, who he wants to give him eternal life. Is that it?”

“
Pretty much. It's hard to be exact because I'm seeing memories and thoughts which aren't necessarily ordered or coherent. I think the point of drinking the blood is to allow him to... connect with his chosen God. He believes that once connected, he can access some of that creatures power and harness it.”

“
And use it to make himself younger?”

Frankie sighed. “That I'm not sure about. I think there might be something else, another step he has to take.”

“
More animals are going to die?”

“
No,” Frankie shook her head. “I think they're done, which would make sense because magic likes threes. Three animals a night for three nights.”

“
Why three?”

“
It's a pretty common rule in magic, the power of three, the threefold rule. It pops up all over the place.”

“
Why?”

“
Why does nature abhor a vacuum? We know a lot about the supernatural but we don't really understand it yet. The three rule is something we've observed a lot though, and I think that this part of his ritual is over.”

“
What's next; humans?”

“
He wasn't thinking bout that. His focus was on this sacrifice and a few jumbled memories thrown in for good measure.” Frankie looked frustrated.

“
But he's not finished?”

“
No.”

“
Then we're screwed.”

Frankie didn't disagree.

“
So what now? Do I bone up on Greek Gods?”

“
No. That's like Chinese Whispers with an added layer of storytelling. Even if this is the creature that the myth of Hermes is based on, there are no real answers there.”

“
So where do we go from here?”

“
We don't. You need to focus on that good old-fashioned detective work you were talking about.”

“
And what will you do?”

“
I need to reach out to the supernatural community and spread the word. We need to find out who this guy is and what his end game is.”

“
Won't he have crossed your agency's path before?”

“
I don't think so.”

“
Why not?”

“
Because he's older than my agency and he's not British.”

“
How do you know?”

“
Because he thinks in a foreign language. Thankfully his thoughts are accompanied by images, or I wouldn't have seen anything useful.”

“
Do you know where he's from?”

“
I don't recognise the language. Possibly Eastern European but that's just a guess. I also saw some brief images of America, so I think he's spent time there.”

“
So you're going to see Dante?”

“
It's doubtful they ever crossed paths in a country that size, but I'll tell him.”

“
Do you at least know what he looks like?” Will asked.

“
No,” Frankie shook her head. “I saw the events through his eyes. Sorry.”

“
Okay, traditional police work it is. Maybe there's a witness or something on the tip hotline.”

“
I'll keep you updated,” she stood up to leave but paused. “Will, if you do find him first, please don't go in alone. He does have real power.”

Will considered her request for a moment, wondering how he would explain that to his officers.

“
I'll do my best but no promises.”

Frankie nodded and left, knowing that response would have to do.

She got into her car and ate a few wine gums that she kept in the glove compartment. Using her gift always left her feeling weak and shaky and now that her powers had increased, so had the drain they put on her system. Sugar was the only thing that helped.

She took her phone out and texted Dante to see if he was awake. He came back a few moments later to say he was and Frankie headed to his apartment.

When Dante answered the door, he was wearing nothing but jeans and his hair was decidedly mussed.

“
Did I interrupt something?” she asked, following him inside.

“
No, we're finished,” he said, perching on the arm of the sofa. “If you're here to borrow my spare room, it's still not furnished so you'll just have to bunk in with me.”

“
Thank you,” she smiled. “But I'm not actually that desperate yet. Give it another few days though and I might well be taking you up on that offer,” she grimaced.

“
Mi casa, su casa,” he shrugged.

Just then the reason for Dante's dishevelled look emerged from the bedroom. He looked to be in his twenties and though dark haired, was every bit as attractive as Dante. He smiled and said hello to Frankie, before walking up to Dante.

“
I left my number on the night stand. I had fun last night; call me.”

“
I will,” Dante smouldered. They kissed goodbye and the young man left.

Frankie averted her eyes as they kissed, uncomfortable with their display of affection.

“
Oh, don't be a prude,” Dante chastised her once the front door had closed behind the other man.

“
I'm not, I'm just not... used to seeing that.”

“
What? Two men kissing?”

“
Yes. It's not that I think there's anything wrong with it, not intellectually but I was raised very traditionally and... I'm sorry.” She sighed.

“
So even that handsome stud won't convince you to take me up on my offer to stay here?” Dante smirked at her discomfort.

“
A threesome? Thanks but no thanks.”

“
Why not? You could do with expanding your horizons, trying new things. Just imagine it, how exciting it would be to do something so wrong,” he taunted her. “Though technically it wouldn't be a threesome. He's only into men, so he would only be sleeping with me.”

“
And what, I'd get to watch the two of you?” she raised her eyebrows.

“
No, you'd be sleeping with me too and I'd be sleeping with both of you.”

Frankie shook her head at the absurdity of that mental image.

“
Can I ask you something?” When he nodded she continued. “Why... I mean, how can you like both men and women? I mean gay I understand but both? We're so different and-”

Dante held his hand up to halt her ramblings before she embarrassed herself any more. He stood up.

“
How can you eat beef and chicken? How can you like chocolate and mints? I like different things at different times.” He closed the space between them and stared down at her, desire shining in his eyes. Frankie almost felt like his prey, as though he was stalking her and a shiver ran down her spine. He picked up her right hand and gently removed her glove.

“
Women are beautiful,” he said softly. “Whereas men are handsome. Kissing a woman is soft, their lips are pliant and gentle,” he raised his hand to her face and lightly traced the back of one finger over her cheek, down to her mouth and across her lips. “Kissing a man is rough and hard.” He took her hand and ran her fingers over his own stubble.

Frankie swallowed and her breathing became fast and shallow as Dante slowly walked behind her. She could feel his eyes on her, undressing her, but she felt unable to stop him. Maybe she didn't want to.

“
Women are rounded, elegant, smooth” he said, his voice as soft as silk as his fingers gently traced the line of her left hip. “They have no sharp edges.” His lips brushed over her shoulder, and his hand trailed around her waist as he came to stand in front of her again.

“
Men are hard, we ripple and bulge,” he took her hand again and pressed it against his abdomen so that she could feel the muscles there.

“
Sometimes I like someone soft and feminine; sometimes I like someone hard and firm.” He smiled down at her, and he could see that her eyes were glowing with desire as she stared back; he could hear that her heart was racing and her breathing was shallow. He knew at that moment, he could take her if he wanted to.

He grinned wolfishly and raised her hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. Then abruptly he stepped away, breaking the spell.