July 21st. Rainy morning. A naked James woke up and saw Delianna wasn’t next to him in his bed. He got up from his bed, moved the clothes he wore last night to a corner, and found some clothes in his drawer to put on, and went downstairs. When James reached the front desk, he saw that Harland wasn’t there which made James concerned.
“Okay. This is not like Harland to not be at the front desk at this time of hour. Where is he?” He thought to himself.
James decided to find Harland via touching the desk and closing his eyes, seeing a vision. In his vision, he only heard Harland’s screams coming from the back. James opened his eyes with shock and decided to walk behind the front desk into the back room. He slowly walked into the back room, and he saw splatter spots of blood on the walls and the floor. A moment later, when James turned the corner, he found Harland’s body on the floor covered and in a pool of blood. James was freaking out quietly as he saw the state of Harland’s body, a slash across Harland’s stomach and he saw two distinct marks on Harland’s neck.
“No. By the Maker, no.” James said to himself.
~~~
Several minutes later, James ran to St. Lithe’s Cathedral; frantically knocking at the door. Seconds later, Deborah opened the door; James instantly came in holding on to Deborah; sobbing.
“My dear boy. What’s wrong?” Deborah asked.
“Some—Someone killed Harland!” James exclaimed.
“What?” She asked in disbelief.
“Harland’s dead. Someone killed him. Where’s Father Nyris?”
“In his office talking to King Duval.”
James ran into the sanctuary, making his way near the pulpit to Nyris’ office door. James knocked on the door. Moments later, Nyris opened the door seeing James red in the face and in tears.
“James. My son. Come in. What’s wrong?” Nyris asked as he brought James in the office.
“S-sorry, Father. Har—Harland. Someone killed Harland.” James replied.
“What?”
“Someone killed Harland. Blood was everywhere in the back room at the inn. Marks… there were marks on his stomach and his neck. I think he was attacked by a vampire.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, Father… I couldn’t see it all the way. I- I panicked.”
The king, Duval, stood up and walked towards Nyris and James.
“Take me to the inn.” King Duval instructed James.
~~~
Cloudy afternoon, James and the king went inside Velour Inn and to the back room and found Harland’s body the same way it was. King Duval got close to the body to observe it. It was the description that James claimed to him.
“There are two marks on his neck. You are right. Anything strike as odd to you earlier?” King Duval asked looking to James.
“I noticed he wasn’t at the desk last night. He would be there until 11:00. It was 9:00 when I came home last night.” James replied.
King Duval looked at the body and the blood.
“The vampire struck him in the stomach just to incapacitate him then drank as much as he or she could.” He explained. The father told me you are a psychic and have premonitions. If you’re calm enough, see what happened to Harland, Mr. Ruth.”
As James looked at Harland’s body and saw the vision of everything that happened to him, but he couldn’t see the killer.
“He was standing at the front desk yesterday in the evening at… 7:00pm.” He explained. “Someone came in and talked with him. Then, out of nowhere, the person jumps over the counter, struck him which made him start bleeding out and fall back in the back room. Then the person got on top of him and started to drink him dry and left.”
“Could you see who the person was?” Duval asked.
“No. The person is coming up as blank.”
“Hmm… Then this vampire has a gift. James, you’ll need to leave from this inn, gather some of your things, and go back to St. Lithe. I’ll create a party to search for the killer.”
“Okay…”
James went upstairs to his room to gather his clothes and the other belongings in bags that he could carry. He closed his door, went downstairs, and went outside to start walking back to the church while the king and several of the king’s men started to investigate Harland’s body.
~
As he was walking back to the cathedral with bags in his hands, he saw Delianna turning the corner and walking his way. She looked in his direction and saw what he was holding which made her look confused at James.
“Delianna.” James greeted sadly.
“Hey, James. Why do you have your stuff? What’s going on?” She asked.
“A vampire killed Harland.”
“What?!”
“Yes. I found him in the back room surrounded by his blood with fang marks on his neck.”
“No… So, you’re leaving?”
“For now. King Duval suggested I go back to St. Lithe until Harland’s murder gets solved.” He replied. “I can’t believe a vampire would just kill him for no reason. He did nothing wrong to any human, vampire, nor wolfen.”
Delianna was still speechless about Harland’s demise. James had a suspicion rising with Delianna since she was a vampire, with the days she would leave to the nights she would come back. He searched for the words.
“Delianna…” He spoke.
“Hmm?”
“Please, I have to ask this and do not take this the wrong way.”
Delianna readied herself for James’ question.
“Ever since we’ve met, I’ve seen you would be gone during the daytime and back at night, and I don’t know where you go. That’s why I must ask… did you do something to Harland while I was at the cathedral yesterday?”
Delianna lightly scoffed at his question.
“Listen, I know I’m a vampire and I need blood to survive. That’s the reason why I’m always away during the day and coming back to you at night. And when I came back to the inn, I did not see him, so I thought he was done for the night.” She explained.
“And nothing else?” James asked.
“No, nothing else.”
James decided to leave it there even though there was an uncertainty still gnawing at him. He was unable to see who the killer was in his vision. He decided he’ll ask Delianna another time due to not wanting to agitate her further.
“So… I guess I’ll have to find somewhere else to live.” Delianna spoke
“Well, you could—”
“I wouldn’t want to live inside a church with children and a priest. Thanks for the offer, though. I’ll find somewhere to live.” Delianna interrupted.
“Are you sure?” James asked in a concerned tone.
“Yes. I’ll find somewhere to go.” Delianna replied. “Also… last night. Did you enjoy me?”
“Uh… Yes. It was an… interesting experience I had with you. I did enjoy you. I just hope I did alright.”
“Oh. You did it perfectly for a first timer. I would love to experience you again.”
James blushed as she flattered him and couldn’t think of what else to say but nodded at her request.
“Alright.” He agreed. “Well, you know where to find me. See you later, Delianna. And please, stay safe.”
“See you later, James.”
The two went their separate ways as James went to the church.
~~~
James reached the orphanage with Deborah and Theresa outside and opening the door. They helped him put his bags inside and carried them upstairs to the room he would be temporarily staying in which was down the hallway at the end. As the sister were doing that, James sat down on the steps in the foyer in thought.
‘How could I not see the killer? Hmm… I guess because the killer was a vampire that has that gift to block themselves out. What would happen if I had the power of a vampire? Would my psychic powers change as well? Would I be able to see Harland’s killer?’
As James was in thought, Nyris walked up to him getting his attention.
“Hey, Father. What’s the matter?” James asked.
Nyris smiled and gave him a folded slip of paper. James looked up at Nyris with a confused look.
“It’s a letter your parents sent.” Nyris replied.
James unfolded the paper and read it.
Dear James.
We have made it home. We have a room set up for you whenever you want to visit us. Remember the directions we gave you to find us, and we’ll see you soon. Again, send a letter that you are coming, we’ll be here.
-Your parents, -
Gad & Elsa Ruth
James remembered the directions Gad drew for him on the sheet of paper and it was in his bag along with the letter he wanted to send to them. He then looked to Nyris.
“I’m going to finish writing the letter I’m going to send them, and travel over there tonight.” James stated.
“Well, finish it today and I’ll send it to the postmen before they retire for the day.”
“Alright.”
~~~
Clear sky. Nighttime. James packed up the stuff he took with him and from the inn when the king’s men cleared the scene taking Harland’s body with them and put it on a carriage hooked to two horses. Earlier, Nyris sent James’ letter for his parents so they can expect his arrival. As James was done packing, he gave two sheets of paper folded together to Nyris. Nyris saw that the papers were labeled to his parents to Delianna.
“Could you send this letter to Delianna, Father?” James asked.
“Of course.” Nyris replied. “Talking about Delianna, I forgot you had a girlfriend. How is she doing?” He asked.
“She’s okay. She found a place from what I foresaw.” James replied. “Also, Father…”
“Yes, my son?”
“I have to confess something.”
Nyris realized what James was going to say and just raised his hand to stop James from speaking.
“You and this woman fornicated, did you not?” Nyris asked.
James reluctantly nodded. Nyris just sighed and chuckled.
“There are worse sins in this world, son.” Nyris spoke. “The only advise I have for you is to save yourself for one. We all make mistakes, James. The question is: are you willing to learn from it?”
“I understand.” James replied.
He then unhooked the reins from a hitch and climbed atop the carriage with the reins in his hand and looked Nyris.
“I’ll be back two weeks from now. Tell my clients that I’m on holiday.” He instructed. “If you see Delianna, tell her same, okay?”
“I will. You have a good time, my boy.” Nyris said.
James waved goodbye to Nyris, snapped the reins, and the horses moved the carriage away from the church.
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