Chapter 5: Creatures of the Night

"Here, kitty, kitty."

The monster stopped and turned to face the newcomer. Its intended victim used the distraction to put some distance between them. Although she was using the wall for support, she was moving fairly quickly.

"Run," Sol ordered, locking eyes with the girl. "Don't stop. Don't look back."

"Thank you," the girl cried and then complied.

"Thank you," Sol echoed with a small smile. "I don't get to hear that often."

The creature roared as it realized that its preferred prey was getting away. She sent an attack to refocus its attention. It worked.

"Don't worry," she said. "I haven't forgotten about you."

It lunged at her, its bulk making the cat-like creature clumsy. However, what it lacked in grace, it made up for in pure muscle and claws. The girl had been lucky that she had been scratched and not shredded.

Sol, using her attacks, sent it deeper and deeper into the alley. As if it knew that it was being herded, the creature upped the viciousness of its strikes. She was resorting to stronger and stronger attacks to keep it back.

"There's nothing more dangerous than a cornered animal," her father had told her. "An animal will use everything it can to defend itself."

'It's time to end this,' Sol told herself.

The cat thing made another desperate lunge. She nimbly jumped back, evading the move. However, the creature could not avoid the Sun Staff as the blades nearly severed its arm.

Not wasting her advantage, Sol swung the staff again. The other arm was now almost completely useless from the slice to the forearm. She stepped back to put some distance between them.

"Sol Nemesis Nova!"

The creature was reduced to a pile of ashes. She was about to leave when she noticed an odd glare. She knelt in front of the pile. Something was in there.

She brushed through the ashes until a shiny black disc was revealed. It was more gemlike than stone as it reflected the weak light in the alley. She stared at it, wondering where she had seen it before.

Suddenly she was overcome by a convulsive shudder. Clutching the disc and her staff she rose to her feet. She was cursing her luck as she made her way towards the next attack.

* * * * *

"Jonathan, what are you still doing here?"

He looked up from the file he was reading. "Could ask you the same thing, Jasmine."

She rolled her eyes. She dropped half of the files she was carrying on Jonathan's desk before going to her own. She leaned back in her chair with a weary sigh.

"Christmas come early this year?" he quipped, eying the new stack on his desk hatefully.

"You wish," Jasmine replied. "That's the file on the Cobble Hill case. Happy reviewing."

"Thanks. So what are you working on?"

"Going through the case from the old harbor district. I hate to admit it but they're right. There are enough similarities in these cases to make you wonder if there is a serial working here."

"Just wish we had discovered that and not the media."

Jasmine gave a mirthless laugh. "Amen to that."

They both returned to the work on their desks. For the next couple of hours, only the shifting and turning of paper could be heard. They each made progress but it was slow going.

"Enough of this," Jasmine said with disgust. She tossed the file she had been reading unto Eddie's desk. "It's late and I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow, Jonathan."

He barely looked up from his desk as he gave an absent wave. "Yeah, Jas, see ya later."

Once again, there was silence. He quickly returned to his work. He lost track of time as he tried to find some clue that could point to the killer. He nearly had a heart attack when the phone rang.

"McKenzie," he growled, irritated by the new distraction.

"Mac, how did I know that you would still be there?"

"Is this a social call, Ricco? Because I'm kinda busy."

"Well, we're about to get busier, my friend."

"Yeah, how's that?"

"Get your ass over to Fredricks Avenue. They just found another one. Teenage girl of average height with dark hair. Looks like she got cut with some kind of dull blade."

"Alive?"

"Would we be involved if she was alive?"

"Shit. I'm on my way."

"Be waiting for you."

Jonathan slammed the phone down and grabbed his coat. Fredricks Avenue was almost outside their jurisdiction. This case could add another to the tally.

"Just what we need," he grumbled as he trotted towards the parking lot.

* * * * *

Sol watched as more cars arrived at the scene. She had arrived on the rooftop in time to see them place the black bag on the stretcher. The ambulance had left silently, its passenger beyond help.

She had retreated to the roof of a more distant building. It still allowed her to watch the happenings below but greatly decreased the likelihood of anyone noticing her. The growing crowd was too focused on the bloody scene to notice her.

Crouching down at the edge, she wondered why she was lingering. There was nothing she could do here. Again she was too late and someone had died. Given recent events, she would wager it was a dark-haired girl.

Why were the girls being hunted? The victims were too much alike for the attacks to be random attacks of hungry or rampaging monsters. And someone had to be behind the creatures. They were not average city fauna.

"Who are you looking for?" Sol whispered. "Why are you looking?"

She glanced down at the black disc. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen this somewhere before. It must have been in some previous life but she couldn't remember.

'Maybe Selene will know,' she thought.

Another glance to the scene below showed that another car had arrived. She froze as the officer, Detective McKenzie, exited it. 'Just prefect,' she thought sourly.

She wouldn't learn anything now. She couldn't even go down in her normal form to have a look as a casual observer. The detective was suspicious enough as it was. Celeste Halley did not need to be found at another crime scene.

Taking a step back, she hoped she was out of sight. She quickly rose to her feet and strode to the off side of the roof. Then, in a flash of orange light, she was gone.

* * * * *

Jonathan was cursing as he noted the crowd gathered at the scene. He recognized several of the officers that were trying to disperse the ever curious onlookers. The only good thing was that the media had not arrived.

He shut the car off and got out. He caught some movement on a roof out of the corner of his eye. He turned in time to see what he thought was a woman with red hair walk away. A faint flash of light followed.

"Red hair," he murmured, shaking his head. "You're losing it."

"Losing what?"

Jonathan turned and faced his partner. Somehow Ricco looked as bad as Jonathan felt. It made him feel slightly better. "Nothing. So, what's the story?"

"Pretty much what I told you over the phone. A pair of late night joggers found her. Girl was already cold by then."

"Guess that means no witnesses."

Ricco nodded. "No weapon either, at least as far as we have found so far."

"Looks like we're relying on forensics. Hope those lab guys will have some good news for us."

"You're always an optimist." The older detective turned his attention to the scene, watching the yellow tape flutter in the weak breeze. "I have a feeling this is going to get bad, Mac."

"We'd better get to work," Jonathan said, not wanting to tell his partner that he thought he was right.


Creatures of the Night "Here, kitty, kitty." The monster stopped and turned to face the newcomer. Its intended victim used the distraction to put some distance between them. Although she was using the wall for support, she was moving fairly quickly. "Run," Sol ordered, locking eyes with the girl. "Don't stop. Don't look back." "Thank you," the girl cried and then complied. "Thank you," Sol echoed with a small smile. "I don't get to hear that often." The creature roared as it realized that its preferred prey was getting away. She sent an attack to refocus its attention. It worked. "Don't worry," she said. "I haven't forgotten about you." It lunged at her, its bulk making the cat-like creature clumsy. However, what it lacked in grace, it made up for in pure muscle and claws. The girl had been lucky that she had been scratched and not shredded. Sol, using her attacks, sent it deeper and deeper into the alley. As if it knew that it was being herded, the creature upped the viciousness of its strikes. She was resorting to stronger and stronger attacks to keep it back. "There's nothing more dangerous than a cornered animal," her father had told her. "An animal will use everything it can to defend itself." 'It's time to end this,' Sol told herself. The cat thing made another desperate lunge. She nimbly jumped back, evading the move. However, the creature could not avoid the Sun Staff as the blades nearly severed its arm. Not wasting her advantage, Sol swung the staff again. The other arm was now almost completely useless from the slice to the forearm. She stepped back to put some distance between them. "Sol Nemesis Nova!" The creature was reduced to a pile of ashes. She was about to leave when she noticed an odd glare. She knelt in front of the pile. Something was in there. She brushed through the ashes until a shiny black disc was revealed. It was more gemlike than stone as it reflected the weak light in the alley. She stared at it, wondering where she had seen it before. Suddenly she was overcome by a convulsive shudder. Clutching the disc and her staff she rose to her feet. She was cursing her luck as she made her way towards the next attack. * * * * * "Jonathan, what are you still doing here?" He looked up from the file he was reading. "Could ask you the same thing, Jasmine." She rolled her eyes. She dropped half of the files she was carrying on Jonathan's desk before going to her own. She leaned back in her chair with a weary sigh. "Christmas come early this year?" he quipped, eying the new stack on his desk hatefully. "You wish," Jasmine replied. "That's the file on the Cobble Hill case. Happy reviewing." "Thanks. So what are you working on?" "Going through the case from the old harbor district. I hate to admit it but they're right. There are enough similarities in these cases to make you wonder if there is a serial working here." "Just wish we had discovered that and not the media." Jasmine gave a mirthless laugh. "Amen to that." They both returned to the work on their desks. For the next couple of hours, only the shifting and turning of paper could be heard. They each made progress but it was slow going. "Enough of this," Jasmine said with disgust. She tossed the file she had been reading unto Eddie's desk. "It's late and I'm going home. I'll see you tomorrow, Jonathan." He barely looked up from his desk as he gave an absent wave. "Yeah, Jas, see ya later." Once again, there was silence. He quickly returned to his work. He lost track of time as he tried to find some clue that could point to the killer. He nearly had a heart attack when the phone rang. "McKenzie," he growled, irritated by the new distraction. "Mac, how did I know that you would still be there?" "Is this a social call, Ricco? Because I'm kinda busy." "Well, we're about to get busier, my friend." "Yeah, how's that?" "Get your ass over to Fredricks Avenue. They just found another one. Teenage girl of average height with dark hair. Looks like she got cut with some kind of dull blade." "Alive?" "Would we be involved if she was alive?" "Shit. I'm on my way." "Be waiting for you." Jonathan slammed the phone down and grabbed his coat. Fredricks Avenue was almost outside their jurisdiction. This case could add another to the tally. "Just what we need," he grumbled as he trotted towards the parking lot. * * * * * Sol watched as more cars arrived at the scene. She had arrived on the rooftop in time to see them place the black bag on the stretcher. The ambulance had left silently, its passenger beyond help. She had retreated to the roof of a more distant building. It still allowed her to watch the happenings below but greatly decreased the likelihood of anyone noticing her. The growing crowd was too focused on the bloody scene to notice her. Crouching down at the edge, she wondered why she was lingering. There was nothing she could do here. Again she was too late and someone had died. Given recent events, she would wager it was a dark-haired girl. Why were the girls being hunted? The victims were too much alike for the attacks to be random attacks of hungry or rampaging monsters. And someone had to be behind the creatures. They were not average city fauna. "Who are you looking for?" Sol whispered. "Why are you looking?" She glanced down at the black disc. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had seen this somewhere before. It must have been in some previous life but she couldn't remember. 'Maybe Selene will know,' she thought. Another glance to the scene below showed that another car had arrived. She froze as the officer, Detective McKenzie, exited it. 'Just prefect,' she thought sourly. She wouldn't learn anything now. She couldn't even go down in her normal form to have a look as a casual observer. The detective was suspicious enough as it was. Celeste Halley did not need to be found at another crime scene. Taking a step back, she hoped she was out of sight. She quickly rose to her feet and strode to the off side of the roof. Then, in a flash of orange light, she was gone. * * * * * Jonathan was cursing as he noted the crowd gathered at the scene. He recognized several of the officers that were trying to disperse the ever curious onlookers. The only good thing was that the media had not arrived. He shut the car off and got out. He caught some movement on a roof out of the corner of his eye. He turned in time to see what he thought was a woman with red hair walk away. A faint flash of light followed. "Red hair," he murmured, shaking his head. "You're losing it." "Losing what?" Jonathan turned and faced his partner. Somehow Ricco looked as bad as Jonathan felt. It made him feel slightly better. "Nothing. So, what's the story?" "Pretty much what I told you over the phone. A pair of late night joggers found her. Girl was already cold by then." "Guess that means no witnesses." Ricco nodded. "No weapon either, at least as far as we have found so far." "Looks like we're relying on forensics. Hope those lab guys will have some good news for us." "You're always an optimist." The older detective turned his attention to the scene, watching the yellow tape flutter in the weak breeze. "I have a feeling this is going to get bad, Mac." "We'd better get to work," Jonathan said, not wanting to tell his partner that he thought he was right.


Chapter 6: Delving Deeper Sol (AU): Dark is the Night Sarah's Sanctuary