Part 1 here
Ah! My murdering client comes out at last and I see he wants to engage me in conversation no doubt to distract me.
“And a good morning to you too, sir. It is good to see you again. I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you at the Club of late.”
“Yes. I’ve been rather busy.”
I wager you were, I think to myself.
He is beginning to speak rather quickly his words falling over themselves. Clearly he is nervous.
I smile and walk over to the hovel he has just exited, glancing at him as I do. You see, I want him to know, if he had any doubts at all, that I know what he’s just done. Frankly I’m rather enjoying this.
The light isn’t terribly good, but I can see a fire burning in the grate and it’s smoking badly, as if clothes are being burned. “Oh dear! That might cause a conflagration,” I said.
He protested, as I knew he would, but I paid him no heed and opened the door.
I have seen much carnage in my time and truthfully, I have been the cause of much of it, but usually when angered or feeling myself desperate. And I do get desperate occasionally. It’s all down to my existence you see.
Longevity is one thing, I think that can be dealt with—but longevity which has no end ever is something else again, and that can rather get on one’s nerves.
“Stop!”
I turned slowly. He was threatening me with a knife. How interesting.
I nod toward the knife. “That really won’t be necessary,” I said, “for I should like to talk to you. We have after all much in common you and me; you know the Club after all.” I wanted to throw him off a bit, devilish of me I know. “Yes, you’ve seen what goes on there. Far be it from me to rein anyone in and besides, I recall your active pursuits in my club as well! I knew you’d go far!”
He smiled. “You remember, how lovely!”
I knew he was using his garden party voice then and I smiled “I won’t turn you in, as you know people die in my club all the time.” I expected him to say something, but he didn’t so I said: “Well let’s get a move on, shall we?”
I must say this was rather a bold thing to say to a man who was standing outside a butchered woman’s residence, in Whitechapel, in that murderous season, but I did not care.
In time you will know that is how I am. Some find me charming and others repellent. Anyway, I shall go on:
More stammering: “Yes of course. We shall walk together.”
“What a good idea!” Ooh I was quite enjoying this! I had been granted a stay of execution by him, or perhaps not, perhaps it was just him being cagey or trying to be.
But never mind. I should love to have him lunge at me dagger ready—and me about to give him the biggest surprise of his life! I licked my teeth in anticipation.
He didn’t have any idea with whom he was dealing that was the long and short of it and that was what I found so enjoyable.
“Commercial Road isn’t far—we can arrange transport from there,” he stated.
“I am sure.”
How merry we sounded walking along as we were.
“I do like morning strolls don’t you?”
Sacre bleu! He was laying it on a bit thick. “The air is fresher in the morning.”
Listen to me! What utter nonsense! How could the air be fresh ever in this poor, filthy stink hole of London?
Suddenly he stopped. “I know a short cut.”
I smiled. “Do you indeed, excellent. I could rather go for something hot.”
“I was just thinking the same thing!” he gushed.
We began to walk once more.
Oh so this is where he’s going to try it! I see.
It was truly difficult not to smile, for I felt so mischievous, knowing that he was going to try and kill me and I was going to…
Sorry, but you will have to wait for it!
We were mid-way down the alley when he stopped.
“Why are we stopping here?” I asked in the best choir boy voice I could manage.
“Did you honestly think I would let you live after what you saw?”
I shrugged. “I thought it highly unlikely.”
“Quite right!”he lunged at me, but as he did, I raised my hand. Only my hand mind you and he tumbled backwards with such force that I heard his skull crack (either that or his back) as he hit the ground. He lay there, the crimson of his blood fanning out around his head.
I shook my head. Crimson! How delightful I thought, thinking of my club!
That he began to twitch a little only added to my pleasure. I just did not like the man. “I must tell you something before you die, before I sink my teeth into you and drink my fill of you—royal blood has quite a kick you know! Oh, you didn’t know that’s what I really was, did you? A club fully staffed by vampires doing what they do best, didn’t tip you off? Hmm you arethick!”
He was moaning a lot now.
“Yes, it won’t take long, JACK! You see there is evil in this world and there is evil. There is carnage and carnage.
You my friend give evil a bad name, for it is mindlessevil, it is evil with no purpose other than to destroy.
I knew I had best make it quick for I could see he was sinking fast.
“I have seen the earth born and civilizations die. I have lived forever and shall continue until there is no time at all. And although I am no hero, I do sometimes feel the need to do a good deed. The only thing I can attribute to that is my heritage, for you see my father was a fallen angel and my mother human. I am then half human and half angelic. And as Father fell along with Lucifer…”
I stopped speaking, for it had hit me: the realization that I could not let him die. “No,”I said. “I cannot let you die you will have to go because of who you are, it is your fate you see, but why ruin the reputation of your family for the likes of you?”
With that I healed him. It is a gift I rarely use.
“Return to your palace,” I said. “And we shall let bygones be bygones. But remember this if nothing else! I shall keep a close eye on you and because of my powers you know you are not safe from my wrath. Do we understand one another?”
“Yes!”
I am gallant sometimes and this was no exception for I helped him to stand.
“Who did you say you were?”
I smiled.“Please sir do not be repetitious, I have told you. Now go on! Think of your family and heed my warning! One more thing before you go.”
I grabbed him, sinking my teeth into his neck. He didn’t struggle. I think in some weird way he was enjoying it and that is why I pushed him away.
“Thank you for that,” I said wiping my mouth. I detect a strange taste there, an under taste of something. Perhaps it is your destiny I perceive. I feel you will stay close to home now. I wish it, but I genuinely feel you will.”
He was rubbing his neck and whimpering.
“Go on, you may go!” I watched him scurry away.
Suddenly I felt philosophical. I do sometimes feel that way.
I thought of my belief that the world is more complex than we know. I am also complex, as you will see. I am as complicated a being as you will ever meet. We have only just met and yet don’t you feel it, the pull to the darkness of impossibility?
Epilogue:
Darton’s former client was made the Duke Of Clarence and Avondale and Earl of Athlone in 1891, and in December of that year became engaged to Princess Mary Of Teck, later to become Queen Mary after marrying his younger brother George. He died of pneumonia at Sandringham House on
the 14th January 1892, during the flu epidemic which swept the country, he was 28 years old. His last thoughts were of Louis Darton, which Monsieur Darton was well aware of.
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