Chapter 18 - Saving Grace

So pretty and, oh, so bold
Got a heart full of gold on a lonely road
She said, "I don't even think that God can save me" (save me)

(Am I) gainin' ground
(Am I) losin' face
(Have I) lost and found my saving grace
Thankful for the gift my angels gave me

Claire Sawyer walked nervously back to her office. It had been since cleaned and patched up from the vandalism attack it suffered shortly after her own ordeal. She was stopping in after a day of making the press rounds as the human advocate for improving vampire rights in Canada to check for any new messages or mail. Claire carefully went through the mail, mostly hate messages courtesy of the New Sarepta Church of the People calling her a whore and fang-banger. Claire angrily put all the hate mail through a paper shredder as she held back tears. She tried her best to be brave through all the ad hominem attacks to her character, but being chastised on national television was starting to eat away at her tough façade. Once she finished shredding the last letter, there was a knocking on her locked front door. Feeling scared, Claire reached underneath her skirt and removed a small hand gun that was concealed on her inner thigh – a last line of defense she had carried since her gang rape. Claire cocked the gun and slowly made her way to the front. She looked out the window and saw two men, one really tall and one of average height, standing outside her door. “Who are you?” Claire shouted through the window. The men barely heard her but through the muffled insulation of the window, the average man shouted back “Miss Sawyer? We are from Hollywood. We wish to discuss the Roberts case with you.” Claire cautiously unlocked the door and let the men in. The tall man - who had longish hair with an obvious comb-over, noticed the gun in Claire’s hand and said very politely to Claire “Please put the gun away. We are very non-violent and it makes me rather uncomfortable.”

“Oh, sorry,” Claire nervously obliged. “I’ve just been through a lot lately.”

“Yes we are aware of your plight,” the average build man also politely and quietly told Claire. He then introduced himself and his partner. “I’m Jeff Flint and this is Tyler Kind. We’re from Wolfram & Hart, the firm that is representing the plaintiffs in Mister Roberts’ suit.”

“This seems a little peculiar,” Claire said with hesitation.

“Not really, Miss Sawyer,” Kind said very quietly and politely. “Lately our Senior Partners have been wanting us to handle particular cases in a quiet, personal manner.”

“Very quiet and personal, indeed, Mister Kind.” Flint added.

“Well that’s all fine and dandy, but what does this have to do with me?” Claire asked.

“Our clients wish for an out-of-court settlement with your client,” Flint replied.

“Indeed they do, Mister Flint,” Kind added.

“Settle out of court? I just sent the paperwork yesterday and they want to settle now?” Claire asked in shock.

“Like I said, our Senior Partners want to do things efficiently and quietly,” Flint answered. “Isn’t that right, Mister Kind.”

“Undoubtedly, Mister Flint,” Kind said. Shaking her head in disbelief, Claire asked the two men “All right, what is the terms of the settlement then?” Flint then handed over a legal document to Claire, who briefly skimmed through it. “I’ll have to double check with my client to see if he is willing to accept these terms.”

“But of course,” Flint politely acknowledged.

“We would not expect not less,” Kind added in as well.

“Well if that is the case, it’s been an odd pleasure to do business with you,” Claire said as she shook the hands of Flint and Kind.

“Quite a pleasure, Miss Sawyer. We will be in town for a few days. Call us any time to let us know. Shall we leave now, Mister Kind?” Flint said.

“Indeed, Mister Flint,” Kind replied. The two of them politely and quietly left Claire’s office and began to walk to their car.

“He would be nuts not to accept the offer, wouldn’t you say so, Mister Kind?” Flint asked his larger associate as the two got into a restored classic Cadillac car. Kind replied back with a dry non-sequitur “But even a blind squirrel can eventually find a nut, Mister Flint.”

“Of course, Mister Kind,” Flint noted. “Shall we meet with our other clients?”

“Yes indeed we should, Mister Flint,” Kind acknowledged.


Simon Fererra and Cameron Swift both paced back and forth outside the interrogation room where Clarice Stanfield and Anya were being held in. Cameron’s face wore an expression of disinterest for being assigned as Simon’s temporary partner until Kaitlyn is cleared back for active duty. Simon’s face, on the other hand, show fatigue, annoyance, and frustration. “We’re not making any progress with these two at all!” Simon exclaimed with frustration, referring to Anya and Missus Stanfield.

“Well, their lawyers are coming in, maybe they’ll be willing to talk with them in the room,” Cameron said with optimism. Joan Sperling and Claudia Reimer-Williams walked into the hall and in a weird sense of clairvoyance, Sperling replied to Cameron’s thought “Don’t bet on it.”

Claudia added as well with disappointment “These two bloodsuckers got Wolfram & Hart as their barristers. And if they’re still using Detective Russo as a deal breaker, well, I got nothing to offer at the moment.”

“Doesn’t hot and crazy in there know Russo’s out of commission because of her?” Simon asked, referring to Anya.

“Believe me, everyone has told her that but she’s been rather… insistent that Russo does the interrogation,” Sperling answered.

“So why are they even bothering with the lawyers then?” Cameron asked.

“Because they’re being held without due process,” Claudia replied. “It’s a goodwill gesture courtesy of the federal government. Let the vampire community think they’ll be treated fairly if given the same rights…”

Simon interrupted “… While giving fanatics like Pastor Love think these fangers are gonna fry in the government’s hands, right?”

“Don’t even mention that man’s name in my presence,” Claudia said with total disdain. “It’s bad enough he’s got his legal team championing Charlie Lamb as some sort of vampire-slaying martyr.”

“Which is what our two guests are claiming to be as well in a sense – political prisoners,” Sperling added.

“Well that’s fucking great!” Simon sarcastically said. “Everyone’s a political prisoner now!” By that time, Flint and Kind made their presence felt as they walked into the room. Kind was the first to speak “Except in our case, our clients are that. Wouldn’t you agree Mister Flint?”

“Of course, Mister Kind,” Flint said in agreement. “Our clients are being held here as scapegoats. The evidence is circumstantial at the least. And one of their requests have not been met by anyone here on law enforcement’s side.”

“Well can someone here remind Penn and Teller that Detective Russo is on leave because of their clients?!” Simon asked, looking at both Flint and Kind.

“Really? Was our clients the four men who allegedly attacked her? Because I see two women in there, don’t you as well, Mister Kind?” Flint asked

“I do as well, Mister Flint,” Kind replied. Rather annoyed by Flint and Kind’s routine, Claudia Reimer-Williams spoke up, “But one of your clients there has constantly harassed and assaulted the officer in question. Having her conduct any interrogations would be a conflict of interest.”

“Well then, that may changes things a bit.” Flint said, feeling a little disappointed. “Could you give us a few minutes to discuss things with our clients?”

“Yeah, sure, why not.” Claudia agreed reluctantly. Both Flint and Kind nodded approvingly as they walked into the room. The two attorneys took to the table and began discussing things with their clients. Sperling pressed a one-way intercom button so they could be privy to the conversation. They joined in progress with Flint saying “… We were not made aware that you had a prior history with this Russo woman.”

“It would have been prudent for the two of you to have given the information when you enlisted our services, right Mister Flint?” Kind said and asked his partner who in turn politely answered. “Of course Mister Kind.” Anya rolled her eyes and slammed her hands on the table in frustration. She then shouted at the two men “Look, I don’t what kind of vaudeville routine you two monkeys are working here, but we’re paying you to get us out of here by any means necessary!”

“Relax, we have an idea in mind,” Flint calmly said.

“An idea which may be crazy enough to work,” Kind added. Clarice spoke “See? I told you our allies in L.A. would send two of their best to get us out of here.”

“I’m still not convinced!” Anya pouted.

“Trust us, we have not lost a case yet, isn’t that right Mister Flint?” Kind said.

“Indeed, Mister Kind…” Flint answered. By this time, Claudia Reimer-Williams turned off the intercom. “Think we heard enough,” Claudia said with disdain in her tone.

“So we’re back to square one, huh?” Cameron asked.

“I dunno, if they want Russo that bad, I say we give her to them.” Sperling said.

“With all due respect, that would be the worst thing we can do,” Simon objected.

“What other choice do we have?” Claudia asked. She then added “As much as it pains me to suggest it, but we need Russo back in here by any means necessary if we’re going to get a foothold in this case.”

“So we’re willing to damage a possibly already fragile psyche for a lead?” Simon asked and clearly expressing his disapproval.

“If it means getting one step closer to solving everything here, I say we consider it,” Sperling said with some hesitation in her voice. “Fererra? You’re the closest to Russo, go and get her to come back here. Use any means.” Simon simply sighed and gave a salute before saying “Yes, ma’am,” as he left visibly showing his discomfort. Outside in the hall, Simon talked to himself, “Lord, I know you and I haven’t been on speaking terms for some time, but forgive me for what I’m about to do – I’m going to have to mentally break a close friend and colleague of mine for a higher purpose.”


Kaitlyn Russo returned to her suite, feeling a little more optimistic about things, but still stuck in her mini-depressed state. Carrying a nondescript brown bag that she stuck under her arm to open her door, Kaitlyn entered her suite to see Claire Sawyer, Amy Moore, Grant Roberts, and Seth Rollins all gathered around the living room table. Seth was wearing a gaudy-looking sombrero. Looking confused, Kaitlyn asked “What is going on here?”

“They decided to settle!” Seth proudly announced.

“Yes, I guess they didn’t want to risk alienating their cash cows so they gave me a generous offer and a promise to treat my kind with a little more respect and reverence.” Grant modestly said.

“So we’re all getting ready to go out to celebrate this wonderful news!” Amy said proudly as she hugged Grant, who seemed a bit uncomfortable with Amy’s public display of affection.

“Well, everyone except for Senor Sombrero over there,” Claire added as she looked at Seth. “Anyways, care to join us?”

“It’s alright, still not in a celebratory mood,” Kaitlyn declined the offer.

“Well, we’ll be at the Fox and Whistle if you change your mind,” Amy said as she, Claire, and Grant made their way out and locked the door behind them. Kaitlyn took in a deep breath as she flopped down onto the couch. Seth was still there, eyeballing the bag that Kaitlyn put onto the coffee table. “Yay! Another night together,” Seth exclaimed. “Hopefully you’re in a more cheerful mood after talking with our respective paranormal therapist.”

“Well depends,” Kaitlyn said as she removed the contents of the bag – a bottle of vodka.

“Woah! Woah! Woah!” Seth said, waving his arms furiously. “Haven’t you been sober for quite some time now?!”

“Talking didn’t really help,” Kaitlyn said as she got up to the kitchen and got a couple of shot glasses. She then added “Crying my eyes out didn’t help. Figured this is my last saving grace,” as she sat down at the couch and poured the vodka into the glasses.

“Are, are you sure you want to go down this road?” Seth asked.

“Since when did you become my conscience?” Kaitlyn asked back.

“Look, as much as I seem to come off as a self-centered jerk-ass, I don’t want to see you revert back to your old habits,” Seth said. “That and the old you used to scare the life out of me, if I didn’t already have the life in me ran over by a drunk child molesting priest.”

“Well if I should go back to my old ways,” Kaitlyn said as she drank both shots within seconds of each other, “I want you to do everything you can to make sure I don’t hurt anyone here. In particular Grant and Amy.”

“And I don’t hurt?” Seth asked.

“You’re a ghost, what’s the worst I can do to you?” Kaitlyn asked as she downed another two shots of vodka.


Sergei Koloff examined the crime scene of the Navajo man, whose body was discovered by a pair of Education students leaving for the night. The body had since been removed but Sergei still looked at the blood patterns on the ground. Paw prints. At least three distinct prints on the ground. Even more troubling to Sergei was reading a message scrawled in blood and also in Cyrillic alphabet on the parkade wall. The message was “Get Out While You Can.” Sergei wrote the translated version onto a notepad as he then noticed another pattern amongst another blood splatter. It too was in Cyrillic writing. This one was a single word, a last name that Sergei was intrigued to see once again: Russo. Still feeling guilty for allowing Kaitlyn to be left vulnerable at the hands of the Bratstvo Kresta, Sergei decided in his head that he needs to resolve that issue now. As well as this message was obviously meant for Kaitlyn, and he needed to know why.


“This wasn’t my first choice of a career, ya know?” Cameron Swift told Simon Fererra as he drove up Saskatchewan Drive. “I wanted to remain as an in-office support officer. But no, I decided to go into vice. And now since the new chief wants to combat vampires, I don’t even know where I am supposed to be anymore.”

“You and me both, Swifty,” Simon said, also sounding disillusioned with the current policy shift.

“Hey, I like that. Maybe we’ll become a regular team. Swift and Fererra. Sounds like a good seventies cop show team, or a late eighties WWF jobber team that were whipping boys for like Demolition or The Fabulous Rougeaus.”

“You’re such a nerd,” Simon said to Cameron.

“See? At least you get me. Sergei looks at me weird whenever I make any kind of reference.” Cameron said. “When he described the behavior of the Bratstvo Kresta to me, I likened them to The Nexus,” Cameron paused as Simon also looked at him confused. He then added, “Guess I’m one of the few still into modern day pro wrestling, huh?”

“Mixed martial arts is the new hotness, Swifty” Simon added.

“Yeah,” Cameron went on to change the subject: “So you’re really going ahead with bringing back Russo, huh?”

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Simon replied back. “Why would Sperling be so strict about Kaitlyn and then do a total one-eighty on her stance?”

“Maybe she knows something we don’t know?” Cameron asked back.

“Who? Sperling or Russo?”

“Maybe both.”


With the bottle of vodka three-quarters gone, Kaitlyn Russo found herself sprawled over her couch. Her stereo loudly playing 4 Non Blondes’ “What’s Up”. Seth Rollins looked on with concern as Kaitlyn drunkenly sang along with the song. “And so I cry sometimes,” she loudly sang, “When I'm lying in bed, just to get it all out what's in my head and I am feeling a little peculiar.” She then staggered up and used the bottle as a surrogate microphone, “And so I wake in the morning and I step outside and I take a deep breath and I get real high and I scream at the top of my lungs what’s going on?” Kaitlyn then fell backwards onto the couch as she laughed and sobbed at the same time. Seth took away the bottle and told Kaitlyn “All right, think that’s enough of that.” He then turned off the stereo.

“And I thought I was the killjoy!” Kaitlyn drunkenly slurred. “And quit that loud thumping while you’re at it too!” she shouted, not knowing someone was knocking on her door.

“It better not be that Mormon couple three doors down,” Seth at he peaked through the door’s peephole. “Well, great, it’s the werewolf hunter,” he said as recognized Sergei Koloff on the outside.

“Sergei?” Kaitlyn asked as she stumbled towards the door. “What do you think he wants?”

“Well whatever it is, he doesn’t need to see you in this condition.” Seth warned Kaitlyn.

“Just shush your mouth and make yourself scarce” Kaitlyn said as she clumsily unlocked the door and used the frame to keep herself stable.

“Miss Russo?” Sergei asked with concern, “ Are you alright?”

“Never better,” Kaitlyn slurred as she struggled to remain upright. “Please by all means come in.” Sergei slowly made his way in as Kaitlyn staggered over to the couch and landed front first on the cushions.

“This,” Sergei said with concern, “Is not a side of you I have never seen.” He then noticed the nearly empty vodka bottle and then it made sense to him.

“I had nowhere else to turn to,” Kaitlyn quietly sobbed. “My dad would be all like ‘You’re a Russo! Russos don’t cry at funerals!’”

“Still in shock about your friend’s death, I take it?” Sergei asked as he sat on the floor, listening to Kaitlyn’s drunken ramblings. She went on “Yeah, and then I froze back there and allowed myself to be a victim again! Why do I put myself in those situations?”

“Actually, it was my fault that the Bratstvo Kresta have targeted you,” Sergei said as he noticed Kaitlyn settling into a sleeping position. His intentions of telling her about the message left for her were gone for the moment.

“And that Anya bitch! I wish someone would get her out of my head!” Kaitlyn shouted as she grabbed a blanket. “God, I wish I could not always feel like the victim!”

“You are a victim if you allow everyone who has hurt you to know you fear them,” Sergei told her.

“Easy for you to say, you never show any fear!”

“True, but believe you me, I too still hurt from my sister’s death. It has shaped me to be the man I am today.”

“But is it really worth it? Holding onto so much pain to avenge her death? How do you know you ever will do so?” Kaitlyn asked Sergei. “There are days I wonder the same as well, but I try not to let it eat at me too much. One day I know I will find the animal who took her life so suddenly, even if it means hunting down every single werewolf.”

“Sounds like someone has a problem too of letting go,” Kaitlyn said as she yawned and struggled to remain awake. Her alcohol-fueled binge was catching up.

“Then I guess I am the wrong person to seek advice on letting go then, huh?” Sergei asked. Kaitlyn replied “Nahh, it just makes you flawed as the rest of us I suppose. Maybe I need to give up the notion of being a super cop and realize I can’t protect them all, especially myself.”

“We all have our obsessions I suppose, but making a positive out of them is the true strength of one’s character I think. What do you think, Miss Russo?” Sergei asked as he noticed Kaitlyn was now passed out. Feeling like his presence was no longer needed, Sergei got up and began to leave, but not before making sure Kaitlyn was comfortable on the couch. Sergei was unaware that the door was still open as Simon Fererra and Cameron Swift made their way in cautiously. With Simon seeing Sergei over Kaitlyn, Simon lost his temper again. “You son of a bitch!” he quietly sneered as he pushed Sergei into the wall. “You look into her history and this is how you treat her?!” he berated Sergei.

“I do not understand,” Sergei said, struggling to break free from Simon, who had now pulled out his revolver. Cameron freaked out and tried to play peacekeeper “Hey, look, we’re all on edge here. Let’s not do something here we’re gonna regret.”

“Hey, this asshole crossed the line here tonight!” Simon shouted. “Or did you not realize someone else did the same thing to her fifteen years ago?!”

“She was already drunk when I arrived!” Sergei replied back. “I had no intentions of taking advantage of her!” “Bullshit!” Simon yelled as he was about to pull the trigger when the least expected intervener – Seth Rollins, standing beside Cameron – spoke up. “Yeah, he’s right. Kaitlyn was pretty trashed before he came here. They just talked. Nothing happened,” Seth said as all three officers looked on in disbelief. Seth then looked around, not realizing he had just exposed himself. “Oh, shit!” Seth exclaimed.

“Ever see anything like this before?” Simon asked Sergei as he placed his gun back in his holster.

“Not to my knowledge,” Sergei answered as he tried to comprehend what had just occurred.

“So then I’m not nuts and didn’t see a fashion reject from the late nineties appear out of thin air?” Cameron asked.

“’Fraid not, skippy!” Seth told Cameron. “Figured I’d show up and speak out. The condo board frowns upon brain matter being splattered on the walls.”

“I think when she wakes up, she has many things to explain,” Simon said as everyone else nodded in agreement and were grateful that Kaitlyn was a heavy sleeper during this pseudo Mexican standoff.

Chapter 17 - Nothing Else Matters

Denial. Anger. Bargaining. Depression. Acceptance. The five stages of grief. Nearly a week after everything that has gone down in Edmonton, Kaitlyn Russo found herself now in stage four: depression. Currently on medical leave from being attacked by the Bratstvo Kresta and Anya, Kaitlyn was shocked to hear about the bombing at New City Suburbs. She was more shocked to hear that one of the many casualties from the bombing was Angie Newhart, her former partner and classmate during their academy days. Now here Kaitlyn was - suffering from a mild concussion, lying on her couch, and watching old home movies from the day she and Angie graduated from the academy. Two young women, so filled with pride and a sense of upholding honor and duty to the line of work they were entering into. That was what Kaitlyn Russo wanted to be a lasting memory of Angie Newhart; not the image she’ll see later today with a closed casket as Kaitlyn would be serving in the honor guard for Angie’s funeral. That is, if Kaitlyn could find the energy to get off the couch to get into her dress uniform, which Seth Rollins was now holding in front of her face. “Really Seth?” Kaitlyn asked in a sullen tone.

“Aw come on, love,” Seth tried to get Kaitlyn’s spirits up with a mock English accent. “Get your Sunday best on, stiff upper lip, do it for the queen and all that nonsense.”

“Not really up for it,” Kaitlyn said as she gently pushed the uniform out of the way so she could still watch the videos.

“Well, let’s find something not so buried in the past then on the telly then,” Seth said continuing with his accent as he turned off the video player and turned on the television, which coincidentally was on CTV News Channel – who had on a split screen Claire Sawyer and Pastor William Love, debating the upcoming House of Commons vote on amendments to the Vampire Registries Act. The old, decrepit looking Pastor Love spoke with a gravelly voice “… These creatures don’t need any more rights. In fact, actions here in Edmonton within the last two weeks shows why any sort of program for these monsters is futile and pointless.”

“Actions which has either been done by a few criminal elements within the vampire community, or misguided individuals who have taken your words quite literally,” Claire rebutted Pastor Love’s comments.

“Which one of those events happened to you personally, right Miss Sawyer?” Pastor Love asked. “Or did you fake the whole thing just to garner sympathy for a dying cause?”

“My own ‘event’ as you referred to without any class,” Claire replied back with a tinge of bitterness, “Would have been a hundred times worse had I not been saved by a vampire who is a representative of the new burgeoning community. A representative who has been to this point reluctant to come forth because of bigots like you, Pastor Love.”

“That thing will do worse things to you than those four men allegedly did to you!” Pastor Love said to Claire. With an off-screen voice saying “Okay, that seemed rather uncalled for…”, which Claire interrupted. “Allegedly?! Want me to dig up the police reports to show my alleged cuts, bruises, and lacerations I suffered?”

“Turn this off, it’s making me even more depressed,” Kaitlyn asked Seth, who obliged the request and turned off the television.

“See? This is why you need to get up and shake this funk off ya, mate.” Seth told Kaitlyn.

“You’ve been hanging around Amy too much,” Kaitlyn told Seth as she slowly got to a sitting position on the couch and looked over to her dress uniform, now laying down beside her. “And what does that have to do with anything?” she asked, referring to Claire getting verbally berated on national television.

“Well, Amy is the only one around here who makes me waffles just the way I like them since you got all Gloomy-Mc-Doomy” Seth said. “And, like I told Grant, I feel like we owe Claire something.”

“I think I got it now. You fancy Claire, don’t you?” Kaitlyn asked.

“What? No. That’s absurd!” Seth said rather dismissively.

“Maybe she’s your unresolved conflict or issue.” Kaitlyn said.

“Hey, no, stop with that talk!” Seth begged. “Not quite ready to go until I get Jennifer Love Hewitt here!”

“Well then, I’ll quit harassing you about her if you quit trying to pressure me back to work, okay?” Kaitlyn said as she tossed a pillow at Seth, which went right through him. With a heavy sigh, Kaitlyn picked up her uniform and walked towards her bedroom to change out from her raggedy pajamas and into her dress uniform.


Grant Roberts tossed and turned in his bed. Eventually, he did the most uncharacteristic thing for a vampire – woke up in a gasp of fear. Amy Moore, who was laying beside him, stirred up and in a yawn asked “Another nightmare, love?”

“You could call it that yes,” Grant stated back.

“Was it about the war again?” Amy asked.

Grant sighed and answered Amy, “Not really. You were there, and so was Kaitlyn and Seth. And Claire. And Anya and this Clarice Stanfield. We were in a high school and singing that song from that High School Musical dealie we watched a couple nights ago.”

“Huh. Which one?”

“’Stick to the Status Quo.’”

“Interesting,” Amy noted as she stretched and settled back into a sleeping position.

“I suppose,” Grant said as he too went back to laying down. “But I just wonder what exactly its supposed to mean to me.”

“Maybe it’s whatever you have for a conscience trying to tell you to make sure you are staying true to who you are?” Amy suggested.

“Maybe. Who can really tell with dreams,” Grant rebutted. Seth then popped into the room, brandishing a frying pan. “Heard some screaming in here,” Seth said. “What is it? Hippies? Anarchists? Bolsheviks?!”

“No, just had a musical dream.” Grant said as he placed the covers over his head, trying to go back to sleep.

“Great, more reason to hate that insipid ‘Glee’ show!” Seth crowed with disdain.

“Was more from High School Musical, mate” Amy replied back in defense of Grant.

“Six of one, half a dozen of the other,” Seth said. “If anything like that existed when I was alive, I’m pretty sure it would driven me to insanity then.”

“Wouldn’t you be considered insane right now?” Amy asked.

“Possibly,” Seth said. “But that is one of the great things about being a ghost – no pesky things like sanity to hold you back.”

“Huh, sounds fascinating,” Amy commented.

“Yes, yes, it’s all fascinating!” Grant cried from under the sheets. “Why don’t you go bother Kaitlyn now and let me sleep?”

“She’s getting ready for a funeral.” Seth moped. “That and she hasn’t been the same since she got knocked around by your ex and her werewolf goon squad.”


The sound of a solitary bagpipe filled the air as Kaitlyn and five other police officers carried a casket that held the remains of Angie Newhart to her final resting place in a cemetery reserved for police officers, soldiers, and other local dignitaries. Hundreds of other officers, family members, and various politicians were in attendance on the inside of the grounds. Outside the grounds, several members of the New Sarepta Church of the People stood on a sidewalk across the street. Shouting anti-vampire slurs and carrying placards with such tasteless slogans like “Cops Die, God Laughs!”, “Fangs = Death!” and even an upside-down Canadian flag with “Doomed Fang Flag” sprayed-painted on it. One of the protestors brandished a bullhorn and was shouting more of their dogmatic propaganda towards the cemetery. Most of everyone on the inside of the cemetery ignored the ruckus outside. While it may have appeared that the church’s attempt to garner attention was futile, some of the words got through to some of the people in attendance, in particular Kaitlyn – who did her best to hide both the tears and a quiet rage building inside her.


Back at the downtown police offices, Claudia Reimer-Williams marched into Joan Sperling’s office. Not looking too pleased, Reimer-Williams slammed down a manila folder onto Sperling’s desk. “Care to explain this?” Claudia asked as Joan looked through the folder. Reading the contents aloud, Sperling said “Charlie Lamb has got himself a new lawyer and they’re appealing his conviction. Citing…”

Claudia interrupted and finished the sentence: “… Citing he’s a political prisoner who is being both wrongfully accused and persecuted by the Edmonton Police Service. I go away for about a week and all hell breaks loose. My husband is even wanting to resign from the city council and move away from here because he’s afraid for the oncoming storm that he thinks is going to happen!”

“I think you’re lacking a bit of perspective here,” Joan replied back.

“Really? Since this new chief has arrived, two bombing attacks have occurred. Hundreds of unregistered vampires were let loose. Who know how many service men and women have died in these blasts. And I’m the one who lacks perspective?” Claudia asked sarcastically.

“We have suspects in custody for the Remand Centre bombing…”

“… Which last I heard are refusing to cooperate unless a,” Claudia paused, looked on a notepad , “Detective Russo is the one conducting the interview.”

“Detective Kaitlyn Russo is currently on medical leave and is not expected to return to active duty for a while pending a psychological assessment.” Joan bluntly stated.

“Well then, I suggest you find another way to get this mess under control,” Claudia stated with frustration in her voice. “Because I got the solicitor general and public safety minister breathing down my neck about getting this situation resolved quickly. And considering the private members’ bill is a free vote, the federal government doesn’t want to seem to be doing a reactionary vote one way or another.” Claudia then took the folder she had placed on the desk back and stormed out as quickly as she came in.


“It really seems like nothing I do anymore matters,” Kaitlyn said after a sigh to Doctor Laura Whitehorse. The two of them were in Doctor Whitehorse’s office. Kaitlyn was still in her dress uniform as she wiped away a few tears from her eyes and went on to add, “Anything I could do doesn’t matter in the long sense as long as I wear this uniform.”

“You can’t hold yourself responsible for Angie’s death,” Doctor Whitehorse said.

“It’s not just that, although I have slowly come to terms with that,” Kaitlyn said. “But then getting attacked by those four men. Allowing myself to be put into a situation where I was trapped and helpless, unable to defend myself.”

“Almost similar to what happened when you were eighteen, right?”

“Yes. But this time, I fought back. I was able to go into my wolf form and scare them off. Then that bitch Anya blind-sided me and basically threatened to end my life! So if I even go into my full form, I still will be letting my guard down.”

“I may not necessary call it letting your guard down, but obviously something was holding you back, other than your ankle getting twisted.”

“It could be a couple of things holding me back. First there was Sergei.”

“Okay. You know my opinion on you possibly seeing him in a more social or romantic setting” Doctor Whitehorse said with an objecting tone.

“Yes. I know. Hell, when I first agreed to it, I still had doubts about it.” Kaitlyn came back with. “But the real thing holding me back is this,” she added while pointing to her uniform. “This badge, this uniform, everything about it has been holding me back.”

“So what would you like to do about it then?” asked Doctor Whitehorse

“That is where I am not sure anymore. I still want to serve but I can’t right now feeling like everything around me is just corrupted by evil or I myself am corrupted by evil,” Kaitlyn said.

“I would not call you corrupted by evil at all,” Doctor Whitehorse said. “I may consider your spirit in you as a misguided one in terms of modern norms. The spirit in you came at the most vulnerable part of your life – a victim of a senseless crime that never was resolved. It now wants to ensure the same thing doesn’t happen to anyone else who was similar in your story – a helpless victim that never got the justice it thought you deserved.”

“But I was willing to allow an innocent man in Bryan Daniels go to jail for my crimes. A man who I once loved, and I was willing to send him down the river for my own sins.”

“Which was why you came to me to find a way to keep it under control and to this point you have done well, which I must commend you.” Doctor Whitehorse added.

“Yes but now with everything seemingly unraveling before more, does it really matter anymore?” a slightly dejected Kaitlyn asked.

“That will be up to you to decide. You can either let that spirit in you continue to feed on hatred and anger that is misplaced, or you can turn it around and find a way to let it continue a peaceful coexistence in you.” Doctor Whitehorse said.

“You know the funny thing is, when those four men backed off me, it felt so empowering,” Kaitlyn said with a hint of satisfaction in her voice. “Then I felt something else that I haven’t felt in a long time, well I felt it before getting struck in the head by a psychotic vampire.” Looking puzzled, Doctor Whitehorse asked “What was this feeling?”

Kaitlyn took in a deep breath and answered “A feeling of belonging. Like maybe I belong with them. Not the Bratstvo Kresta, but my own kind. This shaman of your mentioned before there could be others like me out there.”

“It is possible,” Doctor Whitehorse answered back. “Perhaps finding one of your pack members would be the key to reversing your condition. But without knowing for sure if what you recalled was true, I would not recommend it at this time.”

“Then what do I do?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Right now, avoid any confrontations with these people. They obviously know what you are and only wish to exploit that for their own means. Don’t let a few weeks of doubt undo years of hard work,” Doctor Whitehorse advised.


Dusk had now fallen in the City of Champions. Outside the Humanities Building on the University of Alberta campus, the Navajo shaman was just coming outside. He paused and looked towards the sky, then around his surroundings, and then carried on walking towards the University LRT station. Unbeknownst to him, the five members of the Bratstvo Kresta were following him from behind. The Navajo man did a quick shoulder check and noticed them afterwards. The Navajo man quickly walked towards a different direction, only to have the five men follow suit. The Navajo man ran quickly as he could to the Education Parkade, hoping to hide from his would-be stalkers. Then he stopped and as if knowing they were behind him, the Navajo man called them out “I am only an old man. My time is at an end. Is there really honor in killing me?”

Vladimir, the newer member of the Bratstvo Kresta, spoke “This is not about honor. This is about sending a message.”

“What message?” the Navajo man asked defiantly as he turned around to face all five of the Bratstvo Kresta. The leader, brandishing stitches on his throat, spoke in a grisled voice, “The lady cop who is one of us, she needs to be taught a lesson in respect.”

The broken-English speaking one then added “Errand lady wanted us to kill her but we can’t.”

“I should warn you though, in my death, she may become uncontrollable and relentless. The spirit in her is about vengeance. She will not rest until all five of you are beaten and battered,” the Navajo man proclaimed with possibly his last words as four of the men shifted into wolves, leaving the leader still in human form. “Then we look forward to a fair fight with her when that time comes,” the leader said as he too took on his wolf form. All five of the wolves pounced and attacked the Navajo man. No one was around to witness this primal form of justice, except for the red-gloved man, who looked on approvingly one level up in the parking lot. He watched in a sadistic glee as the five wolves tore apart and feasted upon the body of the Navajo man.

Part Three - God's Gonna Cut You Down

But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the abominable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

- Revelations 21:8

Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head's been wet with the midnight dew
I've been down on bended knee talkin' to the man from Galilee
He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel's feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, "John go do My will!"

Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter
Tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down

- Johnny Cash, "God's Gonna Cut You Down"

Chapter 16 - ... To Save Us All From Satan's Power

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Chapter 15 - Russo-Ukrainian Roulette

Say a prayer to yourself
He says "Close your eyes, sometimes it helps"
And then I get a scary thought
That he's here - means he's never lost

And you can see my heart beating.
No, You can see it through my chest.
Said I'm terrified but I'm not leaving
Know that I must pass this test.
So, just pull my trigger


Grant Roberts still was sleeping in the bedroom of Amy Moore. Laying beside him was his hostess Amy, who just simply watched and studied him. It was indeed a different experience for Amy, who had for a long time dreamed of meeting a vampire face to face. She always heard stories about vampires and was fascinated with the various tropes involved with them. But at the time, that was all they were to the fair-skinned ginger girl from Sheffield – stories and tropes. Now here she was, face to face with a real live vampire. She looked at the clock radio on her nightstand by the bed to notice the time was almost 5:30 p.m. The sun had now been down for at least a half-hour and perhaps very soon her houseguest will be waking up. Another thing Amy was very curious to see in how the undead wake up to face the coming day ahead. It would seem this would become a reality as Grant began to stir and move. He turned and opened his eyes, with the first thing he saw was Amy’s smiling face.

“Good evening, love,” Amy said to Grant.

“Hey,” Grant said back to her, “How long have you been here?”

“A few hours. Just couldn’t resist seeing and watching you sleep.”

“That seems, odd.” Grant commented.

“I know, it does seem very odd, doesn’t it?” Amy restated. “Yes, but in a way it didn’t feel too weird,” Grant told her, hoping to reassure Amy in her brief moment of feeling awkward.

“So, um, what do we do now?” Amy asked, unsure of what the next move should be. “What is a typical day like for Grant Roberts, mysterious vampire nursing assistant?” she also asked as she sat up, trying to coax Grant off the bed.

“Depends on what goes on in my life at the moment,” Grant answered as he finally got up. “Usually I end up watching television or arguing with my one roommate Seth over some of the dumbest things ever.”

“Sounds pretty normal to me,” Amy commented.

“I guess in a way it is,” Grant also commented.


Kaitlyn Russo paced back and forth in her suite, waiting for a return phone call from Cameron Swift she made shortly after her hypnosis session with the Navajo shaman and Doctor Laura Whitehorse was over. She now had a name – Evan Jackson – to go with the vague memories she had about her own unfortunate sex assault. She now had the vague recollection recalled from the session that it was perhaps one or two wolves who saved her from further degradation at the hands of a classmate that she at one point in time did have some respect for. Now that this information had been recalled, Kaitlyn pondered what her next move would be. Doctor Whitehorse was still present, sitting on a chair as she watched Kaitlyn nervously walk back and forth.

“Please tell me what is going through your mind, Kaitlyn,” Laura calmly requested to Kaitlyn. Still shaken from the session, Kaitlyn answered with a bit of trembling in her voice. “I don’t know. Fifteen years I carried this memory with me, not knowing for sure what really went down, who did this to me, and why they did this to me. Now that I know who, I really don’t know what to do. And this Anya chick getting in my head, how do I know this memory is real?”

“So you have doubts about what you recalled then?” Laura asked.

“I don’t know anymore,” Kaitlyn sighed with frustration. “All I know is right now I need to find Evan…”

“… And then what?” Laura asked with concern. “Are you willing to undo three years of hard work we have done to keep you under control just to settle a possible false memory?”

“I don’t know!” Kaitlyn quietly exclaimed. “The sooner I get that call back the sooner I will know what I will do.” The telephone rang shortly after and Kaitlyn went to answer it. “Hello?” Kaitlyn said into the phone. On the other end was indeed Cameron Swift, who said in return. “Hey, so it’s a good news, bad news situation we got here.”

“All right, what’s the good news?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Good news is, Evan Jackson does still exist. In fact, he’s had quite the little rap sheet. A few aggravated assault charges, a few impaired driving convictions, and numerous domestic violence complaints,” Cameron told her.

“Well then what’s the bad news?” Kaitlyn asked with dread.

“Bad news is, he has fallen off the radar in the last six months. His last known address was some acreage around Spruce Grove, which he hasn’t lived there in over a year. He hasn’t checked in with his parole officer either,” Cameron noted.

“Great, so there’s no real way of finding him then,” Kaitlyn said disappointingly.

“Afraid not. If its any consolation, I know someone from the Maintenance Enforcement Program who is also looking for him in regards to unpaid child support. I could have her call you if anything comes up.” Cameron offered as a consolation prize.

“That’s all right,” Kaitlyn told him. “To be honest, I don’t even know what to do with him either.”

“Huh?” Cameron said confusingly.

“Nevermind. Thanks anyways,” Kaitlyn said as she hung up the phone. She then stormed to her bedroom with Laura running behind her. Laura walked into the bedroom in time to see Kaitlyn removing a service revolver from her dresser drawer. “Whatever you’re thinking Kaitlyn, I’m begging you, please reconsider!” Laura begged as Kaitlyn placed on a bullet-proof vest and loaded her revolver’s bullet chamber.

“Well, I’m sure the statute of limitations has expired on bringing him for my assault,” Kaitlyn said as she cocked the gun and pointed it at her dresser mirror. “Maybe I can bring him as a deadbeat dad who needs to be beaten dead.”

“What? So you’re going rogue then? Flush away a respectable career as a police officer just to seek justice for yourself?” Laura asked with urgency.

“This is no longer about justice. This is about closure,” Kaitlyn said back.

“Closure for what?” asked Laura

“First I take care of him, then I move on and find out why those wolves saved me that night,” Kaitlyn replied.

“Okay, fine. We can work on tracking the wolves,” Laura told Kaitlyn. “But if you give in to this lust for revenge, you will only be doing more harm than good.”

“Maybe, but I feel this has been one wrong in my life that I need to fix now!” Kaitlyn said as she left her bedroom. In a desperate ploy, Laura shouted “This could be what this Anya woman wants from you!” The mere mention of Anya’s name caused Kaitlyn to immediately stop and do an about face. Doctor Whitehorse went on: “Think about it. In both of your confrontations with this woman, not only has she gotten inside your head by knowing what you really are, but she seems to be willing to do what it takes to get you to lose control.” Kaitlyn’s face turned to surprise and shock as she realized Seth was now standing behind Doctor Whitehorse. Seth whispered into Doctor Whitehorse’s ear: “I sense much fear in her. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering…” Kaitlyn merely slapped her hand on her forehead in frustration as Doctor Whitehorse turned to face Seth. “So, you’re Seth Rollins, I take it?” she asked him.

“In the flesh, sort of,” Seth noted. “Now I suppose you’re going to want me to cross over right away, aren’t you?”

“Not at all,” Doctor Whitehorse told him. “I am however interested in learning all I can about the spirit world.”

“Yeah, not gonna happen, not unless you prove to be Jennifer Love Hewitt from a parallel universe where all women look like chubby Natives.” Seth scoffed. Kaitlyn then asked Seth “I thought you were staying out of this?”

“I was, but then when I heard you wanting to get all Punisher on some poor schmuck’s ass, well I decided to intervene,” Seth told Kaitlyn.

"Poor schmuck? The guy raped me and by the sounds of things hasn’t been a model citizen since then,” Kaitlyn defensively stated.

“But what if this Anya woman somehow implanted a false memory into you? You said in your second encounter, she had you in some sort of trance, that she had you frozen and you felt like your heart was just pounding.” Laura told Kaitlyn. “Whether or not this Evan guy was responsible for what happened to you, this is not like you. The Kaitlyn I know would look at all the evidence before coming to a conclusion.”

Kaitlyn sat down and sighed, “You’re right. Maybe he did, or maybe he didn’t. Going out on a revenge kill may be what Anya wants from me. She seems pretty obsessed with me wanting to pick her side for something.”

“Meanwhile, I would recommend right now for you is to just go out and do something not work-related. Try not to think about your job and relax.” Laura said as she got her coat and opened the door. However standing outside in the hallway were four young men, wearing University of Alberta sweaters. One of the men spoke and asked “Miss Kaitlyn Russo?” Kaitlyn appeared from behind a wall and said “Yes?” The four men began to sing an a cappella version of Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man”, much to Kaitlyn’s surprise. From the side of the four lads, Sergei Koloff appeared with a bouquet of carnations, which Kaitlyn rolled her eyes and placed her hands on her hips in annoyance. “What do you want now?” she asked Sergei.

“Please, I must apologize for earlier today,” Sergei said, as he offered the flowers as a token of peace while the four men continued to sing. “I may have foolishly gone too far in my pursuit of the truth and I am sorry if I had touched a nerve with you.”

“Yes you sure as hell did,” Kaitlyn scornfully replied. But in a rare moment of compassion and admittance of being wrong, she did tell Sergei “But I suppose I have been too closed and too guarded for my own good.”

“It is not a problem,” Sergei said as he motioned for the singers to cease their vocalization. “I was wondering if, as a gesture of peace, you would accompany to dinner tonight?”

Kaitlyn paused and thought for a moment. She glanced over at Laura and Seth, who both were pantomiming “No!”. Kaitlyn told Sergei, “Give me a moment here, okay?” as he nodded in agreement while Kaitlyn closed the door. “Okay, what is wrong here?” she then asked Laura and Seth.

“Oh nothing, really. Other than the fact that a few minutes ago you were all red-eyed with anger and now a werewolf hunter is here asking you out on a date!” Seth sarcastically replied.

“As much as you need a more active social life away from work, do you really think going out with someone who doesn’t know the real you is a wise decision?” Laura asked.

“Not to mention he brought those obnoxious glee clubbers here too!” Seth scoffed. “Like the world needs more of that. Thanks a lot, Fox Network!”

“Okay, obviously you two have your concerns and I understand it,” Kaitlyn said.
“But you know what? Maybe if we steer away from work talk, it could be a decent distraction.” With some reservation in her tone, Laura said to Kaitlyn “All right. Just be careful out there, okay?”

“Trust me, I think I can handle this,” Kaitlyn said, trying reassure Laura that her doubts were slightly unfounded. Kaitlyn then went back to her main door and opened it again. Sergei stood there patiently as Kaitlyn told him, “Okay, just one rule – no work talk, got it?”

“I would think nothing of it,” Sergei said to her with a smile on his face.


A solitary black car waited on the tarmac at the Edmonton International Airport. A small private airplane was finishing its touchdown procedures while a driver emerged from the car. The plane slowed down and made its final approach. The door on the plane opened as a staircase from the same spot popped down. A large, broad-shouldered man emerged from the plane’s exit spot. Also sporting a shaven head and well-groomed beard, the man eventually made his way toward the car. He got into the back passenger-side door without acknowledging the driver. Inside the car, the man sat right next to another passenger – Anya. “I trust the flight was okay?” she asked the man, who simply stared straight ahead. In a very thick Russian accent, the man replied “It was sufficient.”

“Great, another super-serious lycan!” Anya said as she rolled her eyes. “What is it with your kind being all stiff and stoic anyways?”

“You do not realize what you have truly got on your hands do you, vampire?” the man coldly asked back.

“If it was up to me, I wouldn’t even soil my hands with you, but unfortunately our mutual employer has assured me that this all part of a bigger picture.” Anya quipped. “So in the meantime, I get to play messenger girl to our boss and put up with your stiff upper lip.”

“Believe you me, if we were not being paid so well or were there no truce, we would not even associate ourselves with your petty problems,” the man calmly replied back. Anya simply sighed and commented to herself “Great, this is going to make this trip into the city so awkward.”


Both Amy Moore and Grant Roberts had time to kill before their respective shifts started as they made the way up the stairs to Grant’s home. Since Amy was kind enough to invite Grant into her home, he figured he would do the same. What had Grant’s curiosity piqued the most was Amy’s willingness to meet his room mates. Why would such a normal woman be so fascinated with members of the supernatural community? While Grant thought of that question in his head, he too was somewhat worried on how they would react to her, especially since he nonchalantly revealed their secrets to Amy. Grant opened the door and was surprised to see Doctor Laura Whitehorse and Seth Rollins – both having a conversation, albeit with Seth mockingly laying on the couch like a patient to Laura’s therapist. “… And that’s what happened when my uncle Chester invited me to play a game he called ‘pocket filibuster,” was what Grant heard Seth saying as he and Amy walked into the room.

“This is not really getting me anywhere,” Doctor Whitehorse sighed with frustration and then looked up. “Grant?” she asked.

“Doctor Whitehorse? What are you doing here?” Grant asked.

“Was here earlier conducting a memory recovery ceremony with Kaitlyn,” Doctor Whitehorse answered. “Then I finally got to meet Seth… unfortunately,” she added as she shot a dirty look at Seth, who was mock sobbing after recounting an obvious fake molestation tale.

“Hey, I’m only giving you what you want,” Seth told Doctor Whitehorse, unaware that Amy Moore was staring at him in amazement. “Oh. My. God. A real proper ghost!” Amy shrieked in delight.

“No, no, no! It’s an illusion!” Seth panicked and fumbled around as if he was looking for an object. “Dammit, how is it I can pause, rewind, and replay live TV but they haven’t made those mind wiping pens like they used in those ‘Men In Black’ movies?!”

“It’s okay, Seth,” Grant said, trying to calm Seth down. “She knows. Everything.”

“Oh well, that’s great then. Why don’t we just place a big neon sign outside that reads ‘Doctor Whitehorse’s Apartment of Supernatural Freaks’!” Seth sarcastically exclaimed.

“Relax,” Grant said. “Weren’t you the one who told me to be open with her?”

“Yeah! I meant about you being all ‘I vant to suck your blood! Bleh!’” Seth said, doing a mock German accent.

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I think it’s pretty cool and I’m sure if I told any of my other mates about this, they’d all think I’m bloody nut butters.” Amy sheepishly spoke up.

“Well, that makes it alright then I suppose,” Seth said with mild reservation. “Just one rule, much like Fight Club, do not talk about our little freak show with the outside world. Well, maybe two, Fridays are usually Pizza Night and we all take turns pitching in.”

“Well, then, sounds like I might just fit in here after all,” Amy breathed with a sigh of relief.


A string quartet played on a small stage off to the side of the restaurant that Sergei Koloff and Kaitlyn Russo were at for their somewhat spontaneous date. The restaurant was relatively quiet as a waitress brought a bottle of wine to Sergei and Kaitlyn’s table. Sergei thanked the waitress as she uncorked the bottle and poured the contents of the bottle into a glass for him. The waitress offered the same to Kaitlyn, who politely declined. “Not much of a drinker, I gather?” Sergei asked, trying to break the bit of awkward silence the two of them had going at the moment.

“Yeah, you could say that,” Kaitlyn dryly replied back. “Although I did have a drinking problem during a low point in my life. Been sober now for ten years.”

“Ah I see. You are indeed a woman with many surprises.”

“As are you. I don’t know of anyone else who would track down and kill a man with his own bare hands.”

“I thought we were to avoid talking about work?”

“I know but something about that just seems so… primal.”

“Indeed it is. But he was in his wolf form when I killed him. When a member of the Bratstvo Kresta is killed, they always revert to their human form.”

"Interesting,” Kaitlyn said as she took a sip of water from her glass. She then noticed four men enter the restaurant, first conversing with the hostess at the front. The four men made their way to a table that was relatively close to where she and Sergei were sitting. “You seem so distant tonight,” Sergei commented. “More distant than usual it seems.”

“Huh?” Kaitlyn said. “Sorry, everything today has just got me off guard. And I got my mind thinking about something that I am debating whether or not if its true.”

“Care to share with me?” Sergei asked as he too noticed the four men at the table. A waiter approached their table and a faint argument seemed to break out from there.

“It’s just something that happened before you came to my place,” Kaitlyn mentioned. “Was just looking into my own past to understand things in the present here.”

“Ah. I always wanted to do a introspective look of my own life.” Sergei noted as he too began to notice the argument between the waiter and the four men getting slightly louder. One of the men stood up and tossed the waiter across the room, and he came crashing down on Sergei and Kaitlyn’s table. “Well, that’s just great,” Kaitlyn said as the waiter got up, slightly dazed. Sergei then got up and walked over to the four men, who were conversing in Russian. “Excuse me,” Sergei interjected himself into their conversation, “I believe you owe that young man and my date an apology.”

“This does not concern you!” One of the men sternly told Sergei.

“It would do you best to turn around and leave us,” a second man warned Sergei as well.

“Not until you do the honorable thing and…” Sergei paused as the fourth man grabbed him by his wrist. Sergei noticed a black mark on the man’s wrist. With his free hand, Sergei grabbed the sleeve of the man’s coat back to reveal part of an inverted Orthodox cross. Sergei quickly broke free from the man’s grip and ran over to Kaitlyn. “We must go now!” he told her with urgency. “What’s going on?” Kaitlyn asked.

“No time to explain!” Sergei said as he grabbed Kaitlyn by her hand and the two of them ran out of the restaurant. The four men got up from their table. “Ohota nachala, bratya moi!” the fourth man stated.


Sergei and Kaitlyn quickly ran down the busy streets of Jasper Avenue. “Care to explain what is going on?” Kaitlyn asked in between catching her breath.

“Those four men are the Bratstvo Kresta!” Sergei explained. “Remaining there would be a danger to us.”

“Danger to us, how?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Because they will recognize me as the man who killed their brother!” Sergei said. He then stopped running and thought for a moment. “Which makes no sense because the honor of their vendetta falls upon… the one who… replaces…” he paused and looked around. With a sudden sense of dread, Sergei noticed the tall man that Anya had fetched from the airport earlier in the evening. “Sergei Koloff?” the man spoke in his Russian accent.

“Miss Russo, run as far as you can from here” Sergei quietly told Kaitlyn. “Call for backup as well!” he instructed as Kaitlyn nodded and mouthed “Okay” as she ran off in a different direction.

“I claim the Rite of Vengeance in the name of my fallen brother Ilya,” the man proclaimed out to Sergei.

“What is your name?” Sergei asked.

“Vladimir”, the man known only as Vladimir said. “It will be the last name you will hear!” he said as ran towards Sergei, spear tackling him into a wall of an office building. Sergei pushed back Vladimir into a light standard, knocking him slightly for a bit. The two men exchanged punches, with Sergei gaining a slight advantage with a headbutt to Vladimir. Shaking off the effects, Vladimir once again charged into Sergei, this time crashing the two of them through the window of a closed flower shop. Vladimir grabbed Sergei by his head and tossed him through a display of vases and fake flowers.


While Sergei and Vladimir carried on their fight, Kaitlyn Russo ran down a back alley and stopped to catch her breath. She removed an emergency police radio from her purse and called in “All units, this is Detective Russo, badge number Alpha-three-five-nine-Echo. Requesting armed backup onto Jasper Ave and a hundred-and-twelfth. At least four suspects, extremely dangerous…” Kaitlyn stopped as she noticed four shadows emerging from the streets. Kaitlyn continued to run once she heard the men shouting “Down this way!” In an unfortunate turn of events, Kaitlyn tripped over an empty milk crate; causing her to fall onto the concrete of the alley and twisting her ankle. The sprained ankle hindered Kaitlyn, who was able to pull herself up, only to be tackled onto the ground by one of the Bratstvo Kresta. He had Kaitlyn pinned to the ground as the other three came up to them. Kaitlyn tried to wiggle and power out of her predicament, but felt the full weight of the man holding her down. The other three men laughed at Kaitlyn’s futile attempt of breaking free.

“Do not struggle much,” the broken-English speaking Brotherhood member said.

“Please, if you know what is good for you, let me go!” Kaitlyn pleaded as she felt her heart pounding harder and harder. Similar to her last encounter with Anya, but more similar to what she felt during her transformation. Meanwhile, the Brotherhood of the Cross all shared a collective laugh. The one on top of Kaitlyn took in a perverse smell of her hair. “She does not move like a woman should!” he stated.

“Perhaps she needs a real man on her then,” the Brotherhood leader jokingly said. “And in her, as well,” he added as he pushed away the one on top of Kaitlyn off of her. With her heart pounding harder, Kaitlyn began to breathe rapidly. “I beg of you, walk away now!” she screamed in vain as the Brotherhood leader grabbed her by her thighs, forcing himself in between them. “Do not worry, krasivyi, you will not live to tell anyone of this night,” he said with a lustful look on his face. But that look later turned into confusion as Kaitlyn’s transformation into a Grey Wolf took place. Using its hips, the Kaitlyn wolf rolled over onto a standing position and went straight for the Brotherhood leader’s throat. The other three Brotherhood members stood in confusion and fear as their leader struggled to free himself from the grips of the Kaitlyn wolf’s jaws. He barely got out, but not without suffering a slashed throat. He struggled to remain on his feet as his fellow Brotherhood members dragged him off with the wolf in pursuit of them. The Brotherhood were able to run faster but the wolf was keeping pace with them. Once again, another twist occurred as a shovel from the side whacked the wolf square in the head, rendering it stunned. The shovel-wielding person revealed herself as Anya, who stepped on the wolf’s neck with her stiletto-heeled walking boot. One of the Brotherhood members stopped and scolded Anya “Do not harm her!”

“Excuse me?” Anya questioned back. “Did you miss the part where she just about ripped your fearless leader’s throat out?” she asked as she raised the shovel as if to deal a final blow to end the wolf’s wife.

“She is one of us. We do not kill our own kind on purpose,” he replied back.

“Well fortunately for me, she isn’t one of my kind!” Anya shouted and was about to bring the boom down on the skull, only to hear from a far distance a series of police sirens heading this way. “But timing is everything, duckies,” Anya disapprovingly noted as she stepped off the wolf’s neck, only to watch it revert back to Kaitlyn’s human form, tattered clothing and all. Anya motioned for the Brotherhood to keep running. Kaitlyn slowly was stirring, but was stunned once again as Anya kept her pinned to the ground, using the handle of the shovel to choke. “Strike two, sweetie,” Anya taunted Kaitlyn, who coughed and gasped for air as Anya pressed down on the handle hard on her throat. “Your yellow-bellied brethren saved you this time. Next time, no matter what Old Money Stanfield says, I will enjoy eviscerating you personally!” As a final insult, Anya planted a kiss on Kaitlyn’s lips, only to lightly whack her in the head with the shovel to render her unconscious. Anya lightly laughed as she faded into the background as the sirens got closer.


Sergei and Vladimir continued their brawl in the flower shop. Grabbing a cash register, Sergei smashed it right into Vladimir’s face, once again just dazing him. Police sirens began to fill the air as Vladimir used a judo toss on Sergei and threw him out the shattered window and into a parked car. Sensing that a confrontation with the local police was not prudent at this moment, Vladimir shifted into a large Eurasian Wolf, much like the rest of the Brotherhood of the Cross, and ran off in a direction Sergei was too dazed to notice. As police cars surrounded the area, officers in heavy riot gear stormed onto to scene, scouring the area. Joan Sperling emerged from one of the squad cars, barking orders. “All right, I want this whole block sealed off! If these are the same men from the Remand Centre bombing, I want them brought in dead or alive!” She noticed Sergei leaning against a car, coughing and badly bruised. “Call for an EMT! We got an officer down!” Sperling shouted to a logistics officer who quickly made the call. Dazed and shaken, Sergei spoke to Sperling. “Kaitlyn... did she…?” he asked as he tried to stand up.

“She got the word in, but we lost radio contact with her shortly after,” Sperling told him. “Just relax, we got medics coming in right away,” she coaxed Sergei to remain sitting for comfort. Speaking into a radio, Sperling instructed “Bravo Team? I need you to do an area sweep for Detective Russo. Let me know as soon as you find anything, over?” “Copy that, over” a male voice replied back. An ambulance arrived on the scene as a pair of EMTs went over to work on Sergei. From a distance, an officer shouted “Sperling!”, to which Joan heard and ran towards the voice. She arrived at the alley where two officers were standing over a downed Kaitlyn. In an uncharacteristic move on her part, Sperling ran over with great concern. “Is she - ?” Sperling asked with a lump in her throat, fearing the worst.

“She’s breathing but looks like she took quite the beating,” one of the officers commented. Sperling started administering first aide on her subordinate. “Get an EMT here right now! There’s one attending to Koloff!” she ordered one of the officers. “What the hell are we dealing with here?” Sperling asked aloud as two more EMTs emerged with a gurney. Sperling was more than willing to relinquish first aide treatment to the pros as they examined Kaitlyn’s vital signs and placed her on the stretcher.

Chapter 14 - The Beast In Me

The beast in me
Has had to learn to live with pain
And how to shelter from the rain
And in the twinkling of an eye
Might have to be restrained
God help the beast in me


His shift was now over. Possibly his entire career was now over. Everything Grant Roberts had worked so hard over the years of trying to pass himself as normal was gone. All from the acts of a man who Grant had stopped from continuing a brutal rape on his lawyer Claire Sawyer. All from a man who now harbors nothing but hatred for Grant and his kind. All from trying to do something good with his nature. All the goodwill he had harbored with Amy Moore had now been blown up. And for what? Grant sat outside the hospital, waiting for his cab ride home. Maybe if this whole lawsuit produces a minimal out-of-court settlement, Grant could try and build a new life elsewhere. Meanwhile, an exhausted Amy emerged from the entranceway, covered in sweat and blood stains on her operating scrubs. She approached Grant with some reservation, but did not hold back. “To be honest, I had my suspicions.” Amy quietly told Grant, who looked at her with intrigue.

“Really? Why did you not ask me then?” Grant asked.

“Well, I know its not totally the same, but I had a brother who was gay,” Amy answered as she sat down next to Grant. “He always kept it to himself, especially from our dad. Dad was really from the old school and would have whipped the piss outta him for even thinking like a ‘goddamn queer’ – dad’s words, not mine.”

“Hm,” Grant simply said, listening to Amy’s story. She went on, “Anyways, a couple of local toughs decided it would be quite the laugh to out him in front of everyone in the pub. He wasn’t ready for that moment at all. A few days later, he took his own life”, she concluded as she wiped away a few tears that ran down her cheek.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Grant said as he awkwardly placed his arm around Amy’s shoulder.

“Ever since, I realized that we all have our burdens to bear, our own crosses we carry, and we all need to lay them down at the right time,” Amy said.

“And yet you still want to be around me?”

“I do admit it seems weird but I have never met one up real close before.”

Oh great, here we go again! Grant thought to himself. “Really?” he asked Amy.

“Nope. Always wanted to meet one, just to see if all the stories were true about your lot.”

“Well like everything else, some of it is based in truth. Others are exaggerated lies or half-truths.” Grant told Amy.

“Well as trite as it may sound, you don’t sparkle.”

“Thankfully I don’t. The sparkly ones are a bit too fragile.”

“You’re not going to feed off me, are ya?”

“I haven’t fed on human blood in nearly seventy years.”

“But you got all the other stuff, like super hearing, super smelling, super strength?”

“Yes.”

“So why didn’t you punch that wanker out then?” Amy asked with a smile on her face.

“Because I have seen enough pointless violence in my life – both as a mortal and a vampire.” Grant bluntly told her.

“When were you actually born? Sorry if I’m being annoying with my questions.” Amy asked, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and interest.

“I was born in the early 1890s. I served in the first World War.” Grant told her.

“Was that when you became, ya know, well, you?”

“Shortly after the end of the war. I caught the pandemic flu and made a deal with a very unfortunate woman.” Grant said with remorse.

“Did you have any proper family? Girlfriend? Wife?”

“Was engaged.”

“Huh,” Amy shrugged. “Did you ever track her down?”

“Didn’t want to,” Grant told her. “The reason I became what I am was to make sure I would never be without her. Boy was I wrong.”

“I see,” Amy said. “Your flat mates, are they also vampires?”

“I wish. One is a ghost and one is a werewolf.”

“Now you gotta be putting me on, mate!”

“Seriously. They are. Does that weird you out?”

“You tell me,” Amy said as she smiled at Grant. Amy moved closer to Grant, holding his hand. Grant sighed deeply. “I know it may sound weird, but I still would like to come over to my flat”, Amy said.

“But I’m not a typical vampire. I’m not even an atypical one.” Grant said.

“I know, but that don’t matter to me right now.” Amy said as the taxi cab pulled up. The two of them got up and entered the cab as Grant breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps this was not such a bad thing after all – coming to terms with who he truly was.


The entire area of the Edmonton Remand Center was blocked off as emergency crews still worked on sorting through the rubble. Off to the side, about a half-dozen or so temporary trailers were set aside for the surviving prisoners to be held in until a more suitable location could be established. Various police officers were gathered on the opposite side of the barricade and crime scene tape. Among them were Simon Fererra and Kaitlyn Russo, who stood huddled together with their fellow officers as Joan Sperling briefed them all. “All right ladies and gentlemen,” Sperling said, “We are obviously dealing with a very organized and very dangerous element within the vampire community.”

A random officer asked “How do we know for sure the vampires were responsible for this?”

“Eyewitness accounts from the few surviving guards indicated that five men came in, broke out both the unregistered vampires and an individual vampire being held in a totally unrelated investigation,” Sperling answered.

“Any information on the identity of the five men?” Another officer asked.

“Nothing clear as of now. But again, based on early accounts these five men blitzed the Remand Centre shortly after the bomb went off. Even more perplexing is eyewitness accounts of guards encountering wolves and or werewolves.”

Kaitlyn spoke up and asked “Wait a minute, werewolves? How?”

“Mister Koloff and Detective Swift were one of the first officers on the scene and questioned one of the staff members who said the five men somehow transformed into wolves and later on werewolves. Both Koloff and Swift are in pursuit of the five men as we speak.” Sperling answered. Then in a sense of ironic or impeccable timing, Cameron Swift and Sergei Koloff appeared from the south end of the block. Sergei had an unknown body draped over his shoulders in a fireman’s carry position. The two of them walked over to where Sperling was standing. Sergei then laid the body down on the ground next to Sperling. Sergei showed no signs of exhaustion or fatigue. Cameron, on the other hand, looked like he was finally ready for bed. “Care to explain this?” Sperling asked the two of them.

“It took a while and a little cunning, but we caught a member of the Bratstvo Kresta,” Sergei calmly yet proudly proclaimed.

“How do you know for sure?” Sperling asked. Sergei acknowledged the question by ripping open the man’s shirt. Below his hairy chest and around his abdomen was a tattoo. The tattoo was best described as an inverted Eastern Orthodox cross, surrounded by a circle. “That is how I know,” Sergei added, “The symbol of the Brotherhood, every member bares this symbol on their bodies in their human form.”

“Great, so wake him up and let’s take him into questioning then.” Sperling instructed Sergei. After a huge yawn, Cameron spoke “Um, that’s gonna be a little hard to do so, ma’am.”

“How so?” Sperling asked.

“This man is dead,” Sergei coldly replied.

“Great!” Sperling exclaimed with frustration. “Our only lead is dead, god knows how many vampires are loose in the city, and this isn’t going to carry over any goodwill we have with the public!”

“There was a method to my approach, ma’am,” Sergei commented. “The Bratstvo Kresta always replaces a fallen comrade, usually from the old country. We stake out any and all incoming transports from Russia, we will find out whom has contracted their services.”

Quietly and to the aside, Cameron mentioned to Sergei “I thought it was dumb luck how we caught him. I mean we just kinda tripped into him and you went all KGBeast on him.” To which Sergei replied back, also aside and quietly “I’m trying to save face, shut it!”

“All right then,” Sperling said. “Swift? Get some rest and coordinate search parties for all shipping yards, airport hangers, and anywhere else we can think of. Anyone else have any suggestions?”

Kaitlyn finally stepped forward and spoke up. “Ma’am? With permission, I would like to get a couple search warrants for both the Stanfield estate and New City Suburbs night club.”

“On what grounds exactly?” Sperling asked back.

“I have reasons to believe that this whole event was a setup by the Stanfield family,” Kaitlyn replied back.

“It’s gonna take me a helluva lot of convincing to get one, but I’ll see what I can do,” Sperling said as Kaitlyn nodded in approval. Sperling then dismissed all the officers while Kaitlyn and Simon walked over to Sergei and Cameron. The two of them looked at the body and Kaitlyn asked “So, the two of you tracked them down and only got one?”

“In most wolf packs, there is an alpha and omega of the pack. This was an omega – the weaker link.” Sergei noted to Kaitlyn.

“So you killed a weak link,” Simon noted. “Anything else you care to share about our would-be terrorists?”

“Not necessarily about them, but I do vaguely recall seeing a truck and trailer with a bunch of vampires in there.” Cameron answered. “Caught the trailer’s license plate and ran a search on it. Was a rental.”

“So, we call the rental company and find out who rented it, and we got ourselves a suspect” Simon stated.

“Ehh, speak for yourself.” Cameron said with a yawn. “I need to catch some sleep before I lose my REM sleep and end up going crazy,” he added as he sauntered off slowly.

“Huh, that seemed totally random,” Kaitlyn said. “Speaking of randomness, I got an appointment at nine thirty. I’ll see you guys later,” she said to Sergei and Simon. Simon went off in another direction as Sergei followed Kaitlyn towards her car. “Detective Russo, if I may have a moment of you time,” he said while in pursuit.

“Make it quick. I didn’t get enough sleep as it was,” Kaitlyn replied back in a rush.

“I have some questions in regards to your investigation in the Mill Creek case…” Sergei tried to finish the rest of his opening but Kaitlyn cut him off in mid-sentence. “… Look? I said all I had to say during the inquiry. I know I made a mistake, I’ve slowly accepted it and I moved on. End of discussion.”

“But” Sergei tried to get Kaitlyn to talk more as she got into her car. “I just want to get more of a perspective in regards to Bryan Daniels.”

Kaitlyn sighed and replied back, “He too was a mistake I have gotten over as well.”

“Meaning what exactly?” Sergei asked as Kaitlyn turned the ignition on. She told Sergei “I’ll explain later. I got to get going here, okay?”

“Sure, not a problem.” Sergei said with disappointment as Kaitlyn pulled away. His investigation had seemed to hit a bit of a roadblock. Now all Sergei hoped for was when he questions Simon Fererra that he too doesn’t stonewall him as well.


Amy Moore put the key to her apartment door inside the key lock. She turned and opened the door as she walked in her simple, yet spacious single bedroom suite. Amy walked in and turned around to see Grant Roberts standing in the middle of the doorway, almost as if he was frozen or stuck there. “What?” Amy asked. “Don’t tell me you’re a neat freak too?” she jokingly asked as she quickly brushed off a few pairs of pants that were haphazardly laying on her sofa.

“Apartments and hotels all have a common area that is open to the public. Individual suites, not so much.” Grant explained. “Oh, shit! Forgot about that,” Amy said back, feeling slightly embarrassed. “Is there like a special way to do it, or is it something simple?” she asked.

“No, it’s just a simple invite,” Grant assured her. “All right then, feel free to come in then,” Amy said as Grant crossed over the threshold and into her suite. Amy quickly ran over to her window, not realizing her eastward facing apartment was about to let in a whole lot of sunshine into the room. “Sorry about that, mate” Amy said again, trying to not show how unprepared she truly was.

“It’s all right,” Grant assured her. Grant studied the apartment and its contents. “Interesting décor” Grant commented as he looked at some paintings that Amy had hanging on the wall, mixed with contemporary movie posters.

“Yeah, my mum was an art teacher back home. She also fancied herself a bit of an amateur artiste herself.” Amy told Grant. Grant studied one painting in particular – a black, gray and purple affair with a silhouette of a woman looking out towards an ocean-side view. “This one is, interesting,” Grant noted.

“Yeah, was based on a story my nana used to tell me when I was a little girl,” Amy said, waxing poetically about it. “She told me of a story of a woman who saw her true love come home from the war and they had all these plans to live together and start a family. Then one day, he became sick and went to the hospital. But before he went in, he told her to wait for him always and would be back soon. Sadly, he never appeared again but this woman, she kept true to her word and waited for him. I know its not the happiest of tales but sometimes tragic love stories can have bittersweet moments in it, no?”

Grant thought for a moment and realized the story that Amy’s grandmother told had some parallels to his own life – the returning soldier, the loving woman, the tragic illness, and a promise never fully kept. “Quite true,” Grant dryly agreed with Amy.

“So, do you like sleep like a normal person or do you need like a casket?” Amy asked, once again feeling a little foolish.

“Surprisingly I don’t anymore.” Grant told her, noticing the sun beginning to peak around the horizon. “And speaking of which, I need to be sleeping soon.”

“Oh right,” Amy said as she guided him to her bedroom, it too was in a slight disarray with clothes scattered on the floor. “I got some errands to run and I could sleep on the sofa when I am back,” she told Grant. “But to be honest I may sneak in later to just watch you.” she said with a smile.

“That would be perfect with me.”

“I know this may sound really stupid but, could ya, I dunno, show your true face to me?” Amy bashfully asked. Grant looked at her strangely. The last time he bared his true face was when he rescued Claire Sawyer from her attacker. But something about Amy was different from all the other people. He found her questions and misunderstandings a little endearing as opposed to frustratingly ignorant like others. Something about Amy made Grant feel comfortable to be around, and thusly he granted her request. With his fangs sticking out and slight bumps sticking out around his forehead and eyebrows, Grant revealed his true nature to Amy Moore. Expecting her to scream in horror, Grant stood in amazement as Amy just looked at him. She took her hands and gently caressed him bumps. It was indeed a sensation Grant never expected to have. The sensation of being normal.


“Are you sure this isn’t a trap for me?” Seth Rollins nervously asked Kaitlyn, who paced back and forth, making sure her suite was ready for her appointment with Doctor Laura Whitehorse and a Navajo shaman. Both of them were coming over to conduct a memory recovery ceremony for Kaitlyn so she could try and remember the details of her own rape back when she was eighteen. “Yes Seth,” Kaitlyn sarcastically replied back, “We’re gonna do some sort of incantation and trap your essence in a jar or something.”

“I’m just asking because this whole thing seems kinda fishy to me,” Seth said with skepticism. “How does drinking tea and hypnosis help you remember something you yourself barely remember? Or more importantly, why now?”

“Because Doctor Whitehorse theorizes that if I can know for sure what kind of werewolf was involved before, during, or after my assault, there might be a slim chance of doing some kind of other ceremony to remove the spirit out from me.”

“See? Spirit? Remove?” Seth nervously said. “I thought you were cooler than that.”

“Oh knock it off,” Kaitlyn told Seth. “If you’re that worried about it affecting you, then just stay out of it, okay?”

“Yes, yes.” Seth said. “I’ll keep out of this little voodoo that they do so well,” he finally said as he faded out of the room. A knocking on the door timed well with Seth’s departure as Kaitlyn opened it to reveal Doctor Whitehorse and the shaman, both standing and waiting for Kaitlyn to invite them in.


“Detective Fererra?” Sergei Koloff shouted at Simon Fererra as the two of them were heading in separate directions from outside the downtown police offices. “Detective Fererra? I need to speak with you,” he said once the two of them were in speaking distance. “Better make it quick,” Simon said, “Just heading to check out a possible lead on the renter of the trailer you and Swifty saw last night.”

“I need to ask you about the Mill Creek Reaper case and Bryan Daniels.” Sergei said straight to the point.

“I was wondering when you were gonna get to me,” Simon replied back. “What do need to know?”

“I am very curious as to why so many of you were willing to dismiss the case and write it off afterwards.”

“Probable cause, basically. Daniels was a nutjob,” Simon stated and went on, “It was one thing to work alongside us in undercover sting operations to catch online predators, it was another thing when he insisted on going on ride-alongs and making citizen’s arrests on a consistent basis.”

“Seems like the same response Detective Newhart gave me,” Sergei said, “What role did Detective Russo have in this investigation?”

“She tried to have a minimal role once Daniels was named a person of interest,” Simon answered. “Hell, she wanted off the case because of a conflict of interest with him.”

“Conflict of interest? How so?” asked Sergei.

“She and Daniels dated briefly. Wasn’t anything serious, but when she ended it with him, I dunno, maybe that was when he went further off the deep end,” Simon answered.

“Interesting,” Sergei noted. “No wonder she wasn’t willing to talk about it. Mind if I ask a more personal question.”

“Depends.”

“What exactly is your relationship with Detective Russo?”

“Well, she’s like my sister. That, and I’m a happily married man.” Simon tautly replied back.

“No wonder you seem, protective, of her,” Sergei observed.

"Other than my family, she would be someone I would gladly give my life to if the situation arises,” Simon mentioned to Sergei. “I know where you are coming from,” Sergei noted.


A series of aromatic candles surrounded Kaitlyn Russo and the Navajo shaman, both of them sitting on the floor of Kaitlyn’s suite. Kaitlyn took a sip of tea from a cup and place the cup down in the middle of the floor between her and the shaman. “All right Miss Russo,” the shaman instructed, “Close your eyes, take a deep breath and concentrate only on my voice. Concentrate hard and focus only on my voice as we go back, Kaitlyn.”

“I understand,” Kaitlyn responded in a hushed tone.

“All right, Kaitlyn,” the shaman went on, “I want you to tell me everything you can recall about that night in May of ninety-five.”

“There was a party a week before we all graduated from high school,” Kaitlyn began to recall. “We had it in this bush area we all used to go to just five miles south of Sherwood Park. We had a bonfire going, we had loud music, and we had lots of booze there also.”

“All right, now, tell me what else can you recall about that night,” the shaman asked.

“I remember this guy Evan, he was in my class, he kept talking to me all night, and he kept bringing me drinks,” Kaitlyn continued to recall, “I felt slightly dizzy but I thought it was just because I was drinking too much too soon. I remember the two of us at one point dancing, he did place his hands on my hips. I remember again feeling dizzy yet he kept bringing me drinks. At one point, I almost tripped and fell down, but Evan was there to pick me up. He seemed so nice. He always was nice to me.”

“What else can you remember?”

“I remember Evan and I going for a walk away from the party. We walked about a mile I think to a clearing. We were in this field and I felt dizzy again, Evan guided me to lie down on the ground. He then lied down next to me…” Kaitlyn paused at that thought, her breathing got a little more rapid.

“Kaitlyn, please focus,” the shaman requested. “What happens next?”

Kaitlyn struggled to remember. Holding back tears, she did muster up a memory: “I remember him lying next to me, he kissed me at first and I remember allowing him to do so. He then kept kissing me, he brushed my hair back, telling me how much he always wanted to do this. I kissed him back, but then I felt his hands moving down my neck and the rest of my body,” Kaitlyn again paused, as if she was frozen in fear of carrying on.

“Keep focusing, no matter how painful it seems,” the shaman told Kaitlyn. “We are unlocking a repressed memory here, do your best to remember.”

Kaitlyn held back more tears and continued on. “I remember fading in and out of consciousness. I remember seeing Evan on top of me, telling me not to fight it. I try to get him off of me but he’s got me pinned down to the ground. His hands I can barely feel any more but I remember screaming, begging Evan to stop. He tells me to scream as much as I want to, it excited him,” Kaitlyn stopped and quietly allowed her tears to trickle down. Softly sobbing, she continued “I remember his hands taking my pants off as I weakly try to kick him off.. I scream more but I remember him gagging my mouth shut with his shirt. Oh god! No!”

“As painful as it may be, I need you to concentrate Kaitlyn.”

“He’s got his fingers inside me!” Kaitlyn sobbed. “I recall him saying on how nice it felt, how much he’s going to enjoy doing this. I remember passing out from the pain of him forcing himself into me!”

“Alright Kaitlyn, now I need to see if you recall anything that happened before you were found the next morning,” the shaman requested.

Still sobbing, Kaitlyn continued to recount the events: “I don’t remember much, everything was a blur. I vaguely recall Evan rolling me over onto my front, saying how much he dreamed of doing me from behind. I remember crying, crying for him to stop. Then I vaguely remember a growling sound. I remember hearing Evan screaming as I felt something dragging me away gently. I slipped in and out of consciousness, only to see what I think is a dog, licking me, then howling…” Kaitlyn stopped in mid thought. “Wait a minute, you I don’t remember here!” she exclaimed.

“Kaitlyn?” the shaman asked. “Who is there now?”

“This man, this tall man with a red glove is here!” Kaitlyn began to panic. “He stands over me, telling me I should be blessed to have been touched tonight! I see then two sets of dog eyes looking at me! I think they’re dogs! My god! No! Get out of here!” Kaitlyn screamed as she began to breathe rapidly. While observing the proceedings, Doctor Whitehorse told the shaman “I think we should stop here.” The shaman nodded in agreement and then told Kaitlyn, “All right, Kaitlyn, I’m going to snap my fingers and when I do, you will wake up and retain these memories…” Kaitlyn begged the shaman “No! I want them out of my head! I want this beast in me gone!”

“We can work on that together, but I need you to wake up now, Kaitlyn,” the shaman said. “I am going to count backwards from three and then I will snap my fingers, okay? Three, two, one…” the shaman snapped his fingers and Kaitlyn’s eyes opened. She breathed in and out, “My god. Why didn’t I remember it now?!” Kaitlyn exclaimed as she got up and ran to the bookshelf. She pulled out her high school yearbook and frantically flipped through the book. Kaitlyn then stopped on a page and looked at a photo of a brown-haired man named Evan Jackson. “Him”, Kaitlyn said. “That’s the son of a bitch who drugged and raped me!”


In the back room of New City Suburbs, the four black-coated Russian men, known collectively as the Bratstvo Kresta – the Brotherhood of the Cross, sat at a table. The four men were playing a card game, talking quietly in Russian, and drinking shots of vodka. The black doorman opened a door and pointed them out to Anya and the red gloved man, who was carrying a briefcase. “They’ve been in here all day, ma’am,” the doorman told Anya. “Just sitting in here playing cards and drinking,” he added.

“Filthy beasts,” Anya sneered. “What do they think they are?” Anya then walked over to the table and slammed her hand on it, as if to gain their attention. The larger of the four men spoke up, “We were mourning the loss of our brother Ilya.”

“I’ll make sure to send flowers,” Anya sarcastically snapped at the Brotherhood. “Anyways, our friend here has a little present for you all.” Anya motioned for the red-right-handed man to approach the table. He dropped the briefcase on top of the table and then opened it to reveal a large quantity of cash. “It seems a little… light,” one of the Brotherhood members said.

“Not amount boss lady told us!” the broken-English speaking Brotherhood member added.

“Oh for Satan’s sake!” Anya exclaimed. “It’s only a half-payment for the half job you smelly beasts have done for us!”

“What more do you want us to do?” the apparent leader of the Brotherhood asked. “We attacked fraternity. We broke out your imprisoned demons. Now what do you want more from us?”

“In due time, it will be explained,” Anya told him. “And in the meantime, we got a side project for you all. Some do-gooder police officers seem to be sniffing around our respective benefactor’s home. We need to send them a message.”

“Nyet!” Three of the Brotherhood members said in unison. This anger Anya who grabbed one the smaller ones by his throat and threw him against the wall. “It wasn’t a request!” Anya yelled as she squeezed his throat. The leader of the Brotherhood interjected himself into the disagreement by punching Anya halfway across the room. “What my brothers meant to say is, we await Ilya’s replacement. Our brother Vladimir.”

“Interesting, I almost felt that.” Anya said as she picked herself up. “Is he a runt like your other brother?”

“He is only little brother in age,” the leader said as he and the other three Brotherhood members chuckled, then laughed in a uproarious manner. Anya shook her head and muttered, “Werewolf humor. I don’t fucking get it!” as she and the red-handed man left the Brotherhood to their laughing fit.