After the events of Book of the Amulet

"Annual census has come in, sir", Brannigan called from the lift, a mountain of papers in his arms. He walked towards Bulstrode's desk and dumped them on top of whatever the officer was currently occupied with. "Every monster in London is in here". He pointed down towards the scribbled on forms, and Bulstrode could make out a few words from them: 'Werewolf', 'Seraph', 'Extremely dangerous', and 'Advise to incarcerate'.

"Well", Bulstrode started. "Any alerts?"

"Since the, ahem, Hyde incident, sir, nothing. Everything's gone quiet. It's awfully suspicious".

"I agree", the officer sighed. "And speaking of Hyde, what's he up to? You still have Sackler keeping an eye on him, right?"

"It's been quite hard to tell him not to, with him courting Miss Jekyll".

"Yes... Charlotte is her name, no?" Bulstrode took his glasses from the bridge of his nose and put them on top of the pile of papers he had to sort. "Keep me in touch, Brannigan. It's been quiet for too long, there's something on the horizon. Meanwhile..." He stood up from his desk and pulled the cage away from the lift. "I think we should check on our latest catch".

:/:
"So then I said, 'No, but the elephant might", Robert lilted, making the residents of the room rock with laughter. Olalla rolled her eyes; it was the fourth time she had heard this story since her brother had come back from Ceylon. He had obviously enjoyed himself, though he had become no more adept at telling jokes. She had just come down for a visit, since her employment into the Jezequel guardian. It had been very quiet, with hardly any activity from the portal.
The first few days after she had taken up the post had been hard. The portal had been damaged after all, the rift broken by the Hyde Sword. Three demon creatures had managed to materialise outside, but Olalla soon despatched them. Then, she despatched them again, and again... And again. It seems nobody had mentioned that the creatures had regenerative abilities, though it did make sense; they were technically already dead. Though now, perhaps maybe one would stray a month, find its way into her kitchen, only to find itself on the wrong side of a knife.

This was different. This was new. Everyone thought that; Ravi had even brought it up, only to be told to pipe down as soon as Robert came through the door. She surveyed the faces of the people in the room. All of them were silently fearful of the unknown. Even Bella, who hadn't even been in London to notice the change in activity, had a certain doubtfulness to her expression. Though Robert wouldn't know. The family had made a pact before he had come home to not enclose anything supernatural to him. It wasn't out of anything spiteful, it was simply that he had been through the wringer when it came to monsters, and, despite all that had happened, he was happy. Broken, but happy. And they wanted to keep it that way, no matter what.

Lottie had gone. Perhaps three months back, she had left a note on the mantelpiece in frantic shorthand saying that she 'Needed some me-time', and took their father with her. Though Ravi had said he had seen her on the outskirts of London a few weeks ago. He didn't ask her what she was doing and she didn't tell - it was obvious she was trying to keep it under wraps. Whatever 'it' was.

It was time for Olalla to go though. As much as she wanted to stay, she had images of demons meandering around her garden.

"Well then", she started, when the conversation had died down. "I think I'd better be going". She gave a small smile at her family and stood from her chair.

"Take care, my girl", Garson replied, lifting his glass to her.

"Yeah, uh, keep in touch, okay?" Robert stuttered, looking to the side. "I... I worry. About you".

"Worry about me?" Olalla smirked. "I think I can handle myself, sweetheart". With a wink, she took off, shutting the door behind her.

"Garson, do you want another drink?" Bella asked, standing.

"Well, I..." he started, but saw Bella gesturing him to follow her. "Yeah, I think I could do with one". Hobbling from the chair, he held onto the banister for support, and went into the entrance to the kitchen, where Bella had pure panic written across her face. "What is it, girl? Why the face?"

"It's Hyde", she murmured.

"What about him? I thought he hadn't been around for some time".

"That's what Robert told you. It doesn't make it the truth". The puzzle pieces were beginning to fit together.

"What happened? And how many did he kill?"

"It was in Ceylon. We were visiting the town hall because they were celebrating some local tradition and Robert wanted to be a part of the culture again. It was going well, we actually felt... Normal. But then, unsurprisingly, Hyde came out. Threw me out the door and told me not to interrupt or I would end up like the rest of them. It was awful, Garson. I- I... I hear them screaming all the time. And I keep thinking that I could've done something, anything, and they might still be here". Gulping, Bella looked down and closed her eyes.

"It wasn't your fault".

"Garson, I thought I cured him. I thought that whatever Keres turned him into was gone. But I... When I saw him, sitting there in the corner of the hall surrounded by blood, sobbing his eyes out. I didn't know what to do. I still don't know".

"You haven't told anyone?"

"Just you".

"Keep it that way".

:/:
"She's been hibernating for days", Hannigan commented, looking upon the chained figure in the middle of the cell. "Brannigan reckons it's because she hasn't fed in a while".

"What does she classify as now?" Bulstrode asked, interested.

"We don't quite know. There's no record of a vampire dying and then coming back from the dead with demon DNA anywhere. It could mean anything".

"It means trouble, Hannigan", Bulstrode quipped, walking slightly more towards the hibernating silhouette. "The only reason she is alive is because we need information about Tenebrae's next move". Crouching down, he watched her eyes flickering behind her eyelids. She seemed... Calm. Tranquil. Almost vulnerable.

Her eyes shot open. Green orbs streaked with black, darting around. Anger grew in them as she realised where she was. They set on Bulstrode and narrowed. Her fangs grew over her lip and they pointed into a sadistic smile. "You're a fool, Bulstrode".

"Enjoy your sleep, Keres? Maybe now you will actually deliver the information we need".

"Go to Hell".

"One day, but not now", he replied quickly. She looked a state. Her hair straggled down her shoulders in dark columns, her wrists and ankles were red-raw from where she had tried to work her way out of the chains, and the bloody remains of her clothes hung off her in ripped strips. A thick, metal collar was strapped around her neck and was in turn attached to the wall by a long chain. Bulstrode pulled a chair towards her and sat down in it. "What is Tenebrae's plan? Where next?"

"You know I did have a good hibernation", she murmured, avoiding the question. "I had a dream about the end of the world. The apocalypse. Oh, it was beautiful. So
... peaceful".

"Have you been in contact with Captain Dance?"

"Dance? God no. I hate the bastard", Keres exclaimed. "Sweetie, I'm as much in the dark as you as to Tenebrae. I haven't talked to them in ages; they can all... How do you people put it? Oh, yes. Go screw themselves". Bulstrode huffed. Two weeks of waiting for the witch to wake up and she didn't have anything.

"Well, actually", Keres started, biting her lip with a mischievous look on her face. "I know one thing. It's very small, but it's​ something. But I would want something in return. A deal, if you'd like". Bulstrode shook his head and walked away, dragging the chair behind him. "It's to do with Olalla Jekyll", Keres called after him, which made him stop dead in his tracks. The last thing MIO needed was for Olalla to go back to Tenebrae. It could be catastrophic.

"What do you want? Your freedom?" Bulstrode sighed.

"Why would I want that?" Keres laughed, adjusting the chain around her neck. "It's perfectly comfortable here. Even more so perhaps".

"What then?"

"I want information on Lily Carew. Everything you've got".

"Why?"

"Questions, questions, questions, Mr. Bulstrode. Is our deal on or not?" Bulstrode turned the chair around and sat down again.

"What do you know?"

:/:

Olalla sat in the light of the portal, spinning a knife in her fingertips. The twisted body of a demon lay at her feet, a pool of black, sticky blood covering the floor. A sickening smell of sulphur lingered on the air. She was thinking. Thinking about Robert, about how he was filled with child-like worry for her, and not anyone else, when surely she was the most capable of looking after herself. Something must have happened. Something that made him scared of what Hyde could do.
Suddenly, the light from the portal grew in intensity, a blue wave of bright light flooding from it. Olalla took her knife to hand and cautiously approached it. Then, the light dimmed dramatically, and seemed to return to normal. Olalla scoffed.

"One day I will find a way to fix you, and then I can actually get on with my life", she muttered, running her fingers over the deep cracks in the wall. Unexpectedly, a clawed hand crashed through the wall, grabbing her by the wrist in a tight lock.

"Get the hell off!" she shouted, but the creature continued to pull through. It seemed to struggle. "A little slow, aren't you?" She took her blade and plunged it into its chest, which cracked horribly, and the demon went limp.

"Pathetic", she murmured, and turned to leave, but a sudden shot of pain in her arm caused her to look back. The demon had reawoken, and had sank its fangs into her forearm. She could feel Hyde emerging, but kept her down. She could deal with this herself. With a swift flick of her knife, she sent it falling to the floor, and she clutched her arm defensively.

Actually, she was feeling quite... dizzy. The room started spinning. A wave of nausea washed over her and she felt herself gag. From the wound she noticed the skin around it blackening, and a drop of blood fell. Her fangs, which had long been buried, suddenly emerged and she bit into it, tasting the sweet metallic tang that seemed oh so familiar. God, it tasted good. For a moment she went quite mad, then realised what she had done, eyes widening. "No, no, I can't go back to what I was", she stuttered, and she felt herself falling. Falling to the floor...

A/N: Thanks for reading. If you like it, like and comment, and I'll keep writing - L x