Free Past Life by C S Winchester Page B
Authors: C S Winchester
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
“ 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