They killed, We killed.

It was yet another mundane day. Piles of files scattered my desk and I kept going through them. My holster and badge rested beside my chair and my eyes drooped from the boredom. Even the sounds of laughter and talk seemed to be mute for they couldn’t shake me from my state of drowsiness.

“Hey, Conolly, wake up.” I snapped my eyes open and reached for my holster only to look up at Jaxon Matthews, my partner, and informant. “Matthews, when will you ever learn that you should never sneak up on me?”

He looked at me ridiculously. “Woman, I did not sneak up on you. You were asleep.” I dismissively waved my hand. “Oh shut up and get to the point. Why’d you wake me up?”

In a moment, Matthews’s usual humour spark went off. He bent low so that only I could hear whatever he had to say. “An attack Conolly. Up on Baker’s street near the old Mayfair apartments, it was an earthling but what worries me is how ruthlessly the body had been mauled. Scratches all over and we haven’t been able to find the left arm still. It couldn't be more obvious who did this. But, for assurance, I traced the essence. Still, we need to confirm this before we come to any conclusions and do anything about it.”

I looked up at him. “Take me there. I need to see it with my own eyes.” So we got up, attached our badges and our guns, and went towards our car. As we sat in it, I asked Jaxon. “I need more information. Who is this earthling and are they related, in that manner?”

He took out a file. “The name is Simon Garavito. Son of….oh my god Cornell.” His eyes bulged as if he can’t quite believe what he read. “What Matthews? What is it?” He gulped. “He’s the son of Andrew Andrei.” I would’ve almost crashed the car if we weren’t already at a red light.

“Andrew Andrei? It has been so long since I’ve heard that name. But I thought he died childless. Why did we not have any information on Simon till now? I am certain that learning about Eric Andrei’s grandson, the maniac, would be a worthwhile task.” I eyed him accusingly.

“Look, I would’ve gathered information. But until yesterday, Simon wasn’t even in this city, much less our district. He seemed to have come yesterday. Plus, the surname change didn’t aid the entire search, now, did it?”

I put my foot down over the break so fast that the car skidded a bit. “Don’t forget, Matthews, that the only reason you're under my protection is so that could help me make this place safe. If you want to continue to remain under my protection, do your job, and do it properly. If you weren’t able to find out about Eric Andrei’s grandson, the lineage of the mass murderer and the single most powerful being I’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting, I wonder what more are you unaware of? ” Meekly, Jaxon nodded and kept his mouth as well as the well of excuses shut.

I wrenched the door open and came upon a rather harrowing scene. As usual, the entire area was sealed off and cops seemed to be everywhere that one’s eyes travelled. But the most disturbing object was in the middle; a mangled corpse with blood pooling and one of its arms missing. The face was beyond recognition except for the eyes. I did not need any essence test to be sure of who did this.

I turn towards Matthews and whisper. “Take care of this and plant evidence if you need to. Blame it on our fictitious serial killer Satan Slayer if you have to. I’m going to have a talk. If it is, in fact, those beasts who did this, they will pay the price heftily.” He gives me a terse nod before I turn around and head back to the car before driving off.

I couldn’t fathom how or why they would attack Simon. It was obvious Simon wasn’t aware who or what he was; how important and rather perilous his existence was. Yet, it was these very circumstances that led to his death. And I? I wouldn’t ever be able to forgive myself. Ten years ago, I had vowed to protect any acquitted person, earthling or not, from this world. And I had failed ghastly. Whenever I closed my eyes, all I could picture was the mangled corpse of the young boy in comparison to his smiling picture in the portfolio.

I recalled what had led me to the police station, to the job that I now have. When mother died protecting me from Eric and his many pets, she made me swear that I would never let our world affect the world of the earthlings, that I would always strive to protect innocents. I let a single tear escape my overflowing eyes. Just one tear, just one emotion. As quickly as I had let myself be vulnerable, I gathered the bundle of emotion and tied the knot over it. Its time I got back to work.

Stepping out of the car, I analyse my surroundings. The outskirts of the city weren’t as well maintained as the city itself; potholed roads, bare-minimum housing, not more than one or two shops and a lack of humans. I have to say, they chose their den well. Towering over me was a gigantic warehouse with all the cliché abandoned warehouse looks. The iron covering it was rusting drastically and the grass around it was growing unceremoniously. But the forlorn look never could deceive me.

I walked over to the jutting doors and put my hand over it. Instantly, the gate rumbled and opened, granting me a quicker entry than I thought would've been possible. The interior had a vivid contrast with the exterior. It was furnished with top of the class Ikea furniture and lavishly decorated with rare antiques, marble statues and dark, medieval paintings, accumulated with a rather daint choice. The scent surrounding me, however, was horrific as the air was inlaid with the smell of raw meat and I would’ve vomited if I hadn’t been familiar with it.

“Come out, come out wherever you are.” My small-phrase echoed everywhere and I had to wait a good five minutes before noticing any movement. Up on the rods, behind me, upon the tables and by the entrance, wolves surrounded me wherever my eyes wandered. Amongst them, a girl with white braided hair, skin as golden as the rays of the setting sun and piercing green eyes walked slyly in front of me. “How, may I ask, were you able to enter?”

I give her a smirk. “Why? Worried about your security? If I were you, I would be apprehensive too. They are way too feeble.” She gives me a laugh. “Oh don’t worry, whatever you are. I’m not worried about others penetrating my territory, we do like a fight one of these days. I’m merely concerned about earthlings entering. We don’t want one of the younglings feeding off of them. As badass as we may look, we don’t kill innocents.”

I laugh, a laugh so tremendously powerful, some of the wolves back off. “Oh so now we see the act. We don’t kill the innocents. Honey, take your little play and get it out of my face.” With a fierce expression on my face, I throw the pictures of Simon, before and after, at her feet. The rage within me is about to be beyond my control and whenever I lose control, bad things happen. “This was an innocent young boy. And by the looks of this corpse, werewolves got the better of him. Now, this would be easier if you confess why you orchestrated this debacle and face the consequences. Or hand over the werewolf who went rogue and did such a horrendous thing. Your choice, NOW.”

She had the audacity to look troubled. “This is not our work. My pack and I would ever do such a thing. We no longer feed on humans and we rein in our young ones as well. So, take your blame and shove it on someone else.”

I give a mirthless laugh. “And what, you want me to believe this? Believe that your clan had no role in this. We found the essence of werewolf and the only pack in the entire city is this one. It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it? Let me spell it out: boy murdered, werewolf traces, this clan the only werewolf clan. Entered your brain now honey?”

She narrowed her eyes and I did feel bad for my behaviour but my wrath kept spilling from my mouth in the form of venomous words. “Well then,” she stalked towards me. “Get your facts straight. We are not the only werewolves. Eric Andrei has his own set of pet werewolves and they are ruthless enough to do such abominable tasks.”

Her words were like a bullet piercing me: sudden and shocking, and eventually, painful. “But he…he wouldn’t. He couldn’t be so ghastly, can he?”

It was time that she gave a mocking laugh. “Whoa! Are you seriously asking me that Eric Andrei isn’t ghastly enough to murder an ordinary earthling?” I looked at her, no longer feeling the boiling anger. “Because this ‘ordinary earthling’ is his very own grandson, Simon Andrei. But Simon wasn’t aware of this.” I quickly point out.

She retorted. “Well, Eric always had a grudge for Andrew when he left him. I guess he found his grandson and took it out on him.” I gave her a nod and turned to leave. Before I could take more than two steps, wolves gathered before the entrance, blocking it. Again, I heard her laugh behind me. “Did you really think that you could just stroll in here, blame the murder on us, insult me and then, strut out of here? I don't think so sweetheart.”

I turn around. ‘Oh no, no, if I were you, I wouldn’t do such a thing.”

With equal confidence she challenges. “And why is this?”

I smirk. I always did like showcasing a bit and ravished any opportunity I had. Concentrating only a little, I feel my arms and legs tingle. Balls of energy erupt over my palms and I rise in the air. I felt the smirk spreading over my face as I witness all the werewolves backing off. “Let me in you on a secret honey. I am Winifred Conolly, I am energy, I am power, I am magic. Because I, am a Warlock.”