He was halfway there and now he was almost running.
He quickly dialed a number on his cellphone.
-Yes? said a deep voice, obviously still lethargic from sleep.
-Jason, it's me Paul.
-I know Sheriff! replied the man, a hint of irony in his voice. What can I do for you this fine evening?
-Is everything OK? I have reasons to believe something is going to or has already happened tonight.
-As far as I know, everything is fine.
-Are you sure?
-Sheriff, go shoot something and let me know better if something is happening.
-Prince James called me and his tone was urgent.
-Still nothing has been reported yet, at least not by my clan...and...
-Yeah, yeah, I know, if your clan doesn't know it then nothing has happened!
-Anything else?
-Be on stand by, I may need you.
-Whatever...you know my number, just call me.
If Jason didn't know, either it was something really big or Prince James would surprise them once more with his insight, which was never, or at least most of the times, wrong.
This creature would always surprise him. It was like he had his life planned down to the very detail. Nothing caught him off-balance.
He dialed, hastily, one more number while he was approaching the Prince's haven.
-Good evening Sheriff, said another man in a gentler tone.
-Darius?
-Who else? You called me, remember?
-Are you occupied?
-You could say that. How can I help you?
-Do you happen to know if something is wrong in the city? Has any of your crazy experiments gone out of control?
-Always our fault right?
-Well, do you know?
-Something very wrong is happening, my reagent is already at the Prince's. He called her himself so I guess it must be serious.
-I am on my way there, be on standby I may need you.
-Glad to be of use, said Darius and hanged up.
"Another irony", Paul thought. "It must be hard for them to accept a much younger Sheriff".
A couple of minutes later he was finally standing in front of a well lit, luxurious hotel named "Astoria".
Prince James owned this place and used it as his haven, at least in the hours he was active.
This was the same place where the city's council took place and it was considered neutral ground and sanctuary for everyone in the city.
He was actually surprised. He believed that the "Big bad Dracula" of the city would have picked a more gloomy place as his seat of power and not just a Hotel, but Prince James was a creature of his time and liked to follow its flow.
He entered and nodded at the reception's clerk.
He was a ghoul, probably James' and he was there every night to take care of any vampire that would come in.
He also held the key that lead to the floor where the Prince's office was located.
Of course Paul had his own key like any other member of the city's council.
-You are expected Mr. Anageropoulos.
-I know, who else is here?
-You mean in the Prince's office?
-No, I mean at the lobby reading a newspaper...Of course I meant at the Prince's office!
-"Faceless" of course, Lady Anna and Ms. Marcela.
"What the hell is this dreadful necromancer doing here?" wondered Paul when he heard the name Marcela.
-Thank you, I am going up.
-As you wish Mr. Anageropoulos.
Paul unlocked the elevator with his key and got inside. At the panel there were only two buttons, up and down.
He pressed up while still wondering why he had been called there.
"Faceless is here, the warlocks' reagent is here and even that Italian necromancer is here".
"Something really bad must have happened" he decided.
He got out and walked the 10 meter corridor that separated the Prince's office from the elevator.
In between there were various other offices. He still didn't know the purpose of some of them.
He was walking slowly like he didn't want to get involved in what was happening behind the Prince's door.
When he reached the door, he stood motionless for a few seconds, took a deep breath and knocked gently.
-It's open!, he heard his Prince's voice.
Paul went in where he found the two men and the two women.
James was, as always, dressed in his expensive suit sitting behind his desk. Behind him, on several shelves, were many books and a couple of televisions.
"Faceless" wore his black uniform with the various gadgets he used. Even in here he had his mask on.
First time Paul had laid his eyes upon him he had almost burst into laughter. From a distance he looked like "Darth Vader".
The warlock's reagent was sitting on a chair to the right with her back to a wall.
Lady Anna was always extremely cautious. All warlocks were.
She was in her thirties but you could see the weight of many more years on her.
Like him she didn't want to be a reagent but there she was, guiding the warlock clan of the city.
You could call her beautiful but that woman never minded her appearance or her sexuality.
She was a vampire mage and her only concern was her research.
She rarely made social appearances and most of the times she would do it for diplomatic reasons.
She never made jokes or laughed. Her face was an emotionless mask most of the times.
After all she had trained herself that way so no one could read her expressions or her true feelings.
In the second occupied chair was another woman completely the opposite of Lady Anna. If one didn't know her one could never guess she was a dreadful necromancer.
Marcela, like all in her clan, had Italian origins. Most of her clan was a real "family" with mortal and immortal members in their ranks.
And all of her family were necromancers, born with necromancy in their blood.
She wore colorful clothes and while she was in her thirties Paul also knew that that woman could seduce whoever she wanted.
Her skin was pale and she always had a deep red lipstick on, making her look even sexier.
The whole picture came together with her burning red long hair, proof of her Italian heritage.
-My prince! Ladies! I salute you, said Paul.
-Always late sheriff, said Lady Anna annoyed.
-Never mind her Paul, said Marcela avoiding to use his title.
-Welcome my Sheriff, said the Prince, glad you responded so fast to my summon.
-Always at your service my Prince. What's the problem then?
-The problem is this, said James pointing at one of the screens, where a video was ready to be played. This video was taken tonight by Marcela and she reported it immediately, he added.
Prince James pressed "play" and Paul was sure the women had already seen it more than once.
The video depicted a morgue, actually the one Marcela was working in, and some men placing a body bag inside a fridge to be examined later by her.
Then Marcela came in and proceeded to go about the routine procedures after she had removed the body from the fridge.
It was a woman, probably dead from a car accident. The side of her head was completely mashed and the markings on her body proved she had been thrown quite some distance from the hit.
Up until now everything looked normal and Paul wondered why everyong was so anxious.
Marcela started the autopsy when suddenly the dead woman rose from the examination table.
-Shit! Paul failed to remain calm.
Then the woman looked around and charged at Marcela. Of course the necromancer, after her initial surprise, was capable of defending herself and soon the woman was on the floor with her neck broken making her head face her back.
Marcela seemed relaxed after the surprise when suddenly the woman rose again with her head still facing her back and resumed her attack.
That happened a few more times, each time the woman would get severely hit by Marcela and each time she would rise up and attack again.
Finally Marcela used a surgeon's blade and cut the woman's neck so deep, she was actually decapitated.
Paul marvelled at Marcela's strength for a second.
Decapitation seemed to have worked and the video stopped.
-Of course I'll have to explain why a body from a car accident lies now without a head but at least that stopped her, said Marcela with a grin.
-How the hell could a dead woman rise time after time? Paul let the obvious question be heard.
-Well that's what we are here to find out, said Prince James, I hope you see it is really important that we find some answers before chaos breaks out in the city!
He quickly dialed a number on his cellphone.
-Yes? said a deep voice, obviously still lethargic from sleep.
-Jason, it's me Paul.
-I know Sheriff! replied the man, a hint of irony in his voice. What can I do for you this fine evening?
-Is everything OK? I have reasons to believe something is going to or has already happened tonight.
-As far as I know, everything is fine.
-Are you sure?
-Sheriff, go shoot something and let me know better if something is happening.
-Prince James called me and his tone was urgent.
-Still nothing has been reported yet, at least not by my clan...and...
-Yeah, yeah, I know, if your clan doesn't know it then nothing has happened!
-Anything else?
-Be on stand by, I may need you.
-Whatever...you know my number, just call me.
If Jason didn't know, either it was something really big or Prince James would surprise them once more with his insight, which was never, or at least most of the times, wrong.
This creature would always surprise him. It was like he had his life planned down to the very detail. Nothing caught him off-balance.
He dialed, hastily, one more number while he was approaching the Prince's haven.
-Good evening Sheriff, said another man in a gentler tone.
-Darius?
-Who else? You called me, remember?
-Are you occupied?
-You could say that. How can I help you?
-Do you happen to know if something is wrong in the city? Has any of your crazy experiments gone out of control?
-Always our fault right?
-Well, do you know?
-Something very wrong is happening, my reagent is already at the Prince's. He called her himself so I guess it must be serious.
-I am on my way there, be on standby I may need you.
-Glad to be of use, said Darius and hanged up.
"Another irony", Paul thought. "It must be hard for them to accept a much younger Sheriff".
A couple of minutes later he was finally standing in front of a well lit, luxurious hotel named "Astoria".
Prince James owned this place and used it as his haven, at least in the hours he was active.
This was the same place where the city's council took place and it was considered neutral ground and sanctuary for everyone in the city.
He was actually surprised. He believed that the "Big bad Dracula" of the city would have picked a more gloomy place as his seat of power and not just a Hotel, but Prince James was a creature of his time and liked to follow its flow.
He entered and nodded at the reception's clerk.
He was a ghoul, probably James' and he was there every night to take care of any vampire that would come in.
He also held the key that lead to the floor where the Prince's office was located.
Of course Paul had his own key like any other member of the city's council.
-You are expected Mr. Anageropoulos.
-I know, who else is here?
-You mean in the Prince's office?
-No, I mean at the lobby reading a newspaper...Of course I meant at the Prince's office!
-"Faceless" of course, Lady Anna and Ms. Marcela.
"What the hell is this dreadful necromancer doing here?" wondered Paul when he heard the name Marcela.
-Thank you, I am going up.
-As you wish Mr. Anageropoulos.
Paul unlocked the elevator with his key and got inside. At the panel there were only two buttons, up and down.
He pressed up while still wondering why he had been called there.
"Faceless is here, the warlocks' reagent is here and even that Italian necromancer is here".
"Something really bad must have happened" he decided.
He got out and walked the 10 meter corridor that separated the Prince's office from the elevator.
In between there were various other offices. He still didn't know the purpose of some of them.
He was walking slowly like he didn't want to get involved in what was happening behind the Prince's door.
When he reached the door, he stood motionless for a few seconds, took a deep breath and knocked gently.
-It's open!, he heard his Prince's voice.
Paul went in where he found the two men and the two women.
James was, as always, dressed in his expensive suit sitting behind his desk. Behind him, on several shelves, were many books and a couple of televisions.
"Faceless" wore his black uniform with the various gadgets he used. Even in here he had his mask on.
First time Paul had laid his eyes upon him he had almost burst into laughter. From a distance he looked like "Darth Vader".
The warlock's reagent was sitting on a chair to the right with her back to a wall.
Lady Anna was always extremely cautious. All warlocks were.
She was in her thirties but you could see the weight of many more years on her.
Like him she didn't want to be a reagent but there she was, guiding the warlock clan of the city.
You could call her beautiful but that woman never minded her appearance or her sexuality.
She was a vampire mage and her only concern was her research.
She rarely made social appearances and most of the times she would do it for diplomatic reasons.
She never made jokes or laughed. Her face was an emotionless mask most of the times.
After all she had trained herself that way so no one could read her expressions or her true feelings.
In the second occupied chair was another woman completely the opposite of Lady Anna. If one didn't know her one could never guess she was a dreadful necromancer.
Marcela, like all in her clan, had Italian origins. Most of her clan was a real "family" with mortal and immortal members in their ranks.
And all of her family were necromancers, born with necromancy in their blood.
She wore colorful clothes and while she was in her thirties Paul also knew that that woman could seduce whoever she wanted.
Her skin was pale and she always had a deep red lipstick on, making her look even sexier.
The whole picture came together with her burning red long hair, proof of her Italian heritage.
-My prince! Ladies! I salute you, said Paul.
-Always late sheriff, said Lady Anna annoyed.
-Never mind her Paul, said Marcela avoiding to use his title.
-Welcome my Sheriff, said the Prince, glad you responded so fast to my summon.
-Always at your service my Prince. What's the problem then?
-The problem is this, said James pointing at one of the screens, where a video was ready to be played. This video was taken tonight by Marcela and she reported it immediately, he added.
Prince James pressed "play" and Paul was sure the women had already seen it more than once.
The video depicted a morgue, actually the one Marcela was working in, and some men placing a body bag inside a fridge to be examined later by her.
Then Marcela came in and proceeded to go about the routine procedures after she had removed the body from the fridge.
It was a woman, probably dead from a car accident. The side of her head was completely mashed and the markings on her body proved she had been thrown quite some distance from the hit.
Up until now everything looked normal and Paul wondered why everyong was so anxious.
Marcela started the autopsy when suddenly the dead woman rose from the examination table.
-Shit! Paul failed to remain calm.
Then the woman looked around and charged at Marcela. Of course the necromancer, after her initial surprise, was capable of defending herself and soon the woman was on the floor with her neck broken making her head face her back.
Marcela seemed relaxed after the surprise when suddenly the woman rose again with her head still facing her back and resumed her attack.
That happened a few more times, each time the woman would get severely hit by Marcela and each time she would rise up and attack again.
Finally Marcela used a surgeon's blade and cut the woman's neck so deep, she was actually decapitated.
Paul marvelled at Marcela's strength for a second.
Decapitation seemed to have worked and the video stopped.
-Of course I'll have to explain why a body from a car accident lies now without a head but at least that stopped her, said Marcela with a grin.
-How the hell could a dead woman rise time after time? Paul let the obvious question be heard.
-Well that's what we are here to find out, said Prince James, I hope you see it is really important that we find some answers before chaos breaks out in the city!
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