The Unknown, Alexandra Littler [best novels to read for students .TXT] 📗

Prologue - The Black Hole

As I gaze into the black hole before me I know that my death is drawing ever closer. I can count the minutes I have left to live on one hand.

I see the center and know we have been deceived. The black is not pure black but a mix of grays and blacks, different tone and right in the middle is a complicated design which is a brilliant purple hue.

Around the black are the shades of the night sky. Beautiful blues all swirling through each other to create an intricate web a man can get lost in.

Throughout the blue is scattered a million tiny stars, that give off their own light, each more beautiful than the last.

As I feel my life leave me I realize this is why there is no escape. Men cannot escape the net this sight weaves.

The last thing I see is a girl with black hair and miniature, bottomless black holes for eyes.

Reala has stuck again...

Chapter 1 - Inspector Morgan

The alley was dark. The light from the streetlamps did not enter this place. Rain from the night before's downpour dripped from the gutters. Wind howled as it passed throught the narrow space. Big ben itself could be seen above the rooftops, it was a direct contrast to the horrific scene at the back of the alley

Inspector Morgan frowned over the body of Dylan Jordyn, his throat had been torn up and he lay in a pool of his own blood in a back alley.
(The poor guy, I wonder why someone felt inclined to rip his throat out? I know London's bad but I haven't seen a case this bad in quite a while.)

"Ok guys you know the drill, Jonas I want you to go knocking on the doors, some of those back windows overlook the alley, find out if anyone saw anything."

"Yes boss!" P.C. Tarragon went to turn but hesitated, "Boss? Can I ask you something?"

Inspector Morgan smiled grimly, "You just did, go on, shoot..."

P.C. Tarragon rubbed his thumb over the catch on his guns holster, it was a nervous gesture that Morgan was familiar with.

"I just...those wounds look more like an animal attack than anything else. My cousin used to be a zoo keeper and one of his co-workers got mauled by a big cat. It looked exactly like the wound on the vic's throat. Is there no way this could be an animal attack?"

Inspector Morgan sighed, "Listen between you and me, when we got here I thought the same. But now? Look around Jonas, really look, can't you see? There's so much evidence suggesting this was not an animal attack. If it was there would be signs and theres something else that proves it."

"What boss?" Jonas asked nervously.

"Its been raining and the ground is wet, patches of mud are all over the place. Look at that one behind you."

Jonas turned and finally say what the Inspector meant, in the mud were two sets off prints, and neither was a paw print.

"This looks like..."

"I know Jonas, it's exactly what it looks like. We have the killers footprint." Morgan said looking down at the print pressed into the mud. (But why would the killer take their shoes off?)

P.C. Tarragon nodded and went to question the local residents.


Inspector Morgan watched him go sadly, he knew that this was Tarragon's first murder case. (Poor Jonas, if I knew it was going to be this bad I would have brought one of our more experienced officers.)

***

Six hours later Inspector Morgan got back to the police station.

Carl, the officer on duty, called to him, "Hey Steve, I heard it was a rough night."

"I'll stay, I've got what look like an animal attack but we have concrete evidence that it was actually a murder."

Carl whistled softly, "And I thought a case of domestic violence between two brothers was tough."

"I know right, and it was a mistake taking the new guy with us."

"Which one?"

"Jonas Tarragon, he looked green when he saw the body. And he kept messing with his gun."

"Now there's an accident waiting to happen did you tell him about Claire?"

"I didn't, he really would've threw up then. Did the doctor say if she'll ever be able to walk again yet?"

"No, and somehow I get the feeling that she wont be coming back."

"Somehow I think your right. I'll see you later Carl I have to file a report and wait for the coroner to identify the victim so I can notify his next of kin."

"Good luck with that, I'd sooner be here answering the phone than writing reports."

"Me too Carl, me too."

***

When Steve was finally alone in his office he sat at his desk and tried to relax but the image of the body just wouldn't leave him.

(I wonder who he was and why the killer killed him like that. There must have been a reason... Once we find our motive we'll get the whichever psycho did this.)

The Rooftop

The wind whipped across the top of the roof, threatening to throw off its occupant. A beautiful girl sat perched on the very edge of the concrete platform.

Her raven hair fell to her waist. The wind playfully catching and making it fan out behind her. Her almond shaped eyes seemed to glow in the night like an animals. It was impossible to tell in the dark but her eyes weren't black, they were actually as blue as the night sky, midnight blue, she liked to call them. Her limbs were slender but muscled and her body sang of hidden strengh, agility and power.

She was fully clothed in the finest black material money could buy. Black trousers and a shirt, perfectly tailored to the shape of her body went with heeled leather boots that clung to her leg like a second skin, all the way up to her knee. A leather jacket hugged her frame showing off her perfect figure.

Reala watched as the police surveyed the crimescene before them, that she had created under an hour ago. She almost laughed aloud when the young guy asked whether it was an animal attack.

Can't he see, there is nothing to suggest it was a creature on four legs. And, since when do you see a big cat running round in the middle of London you stupid man? Although...it would be very interesting to see what would happen should a big cat suddenly escape the zoo...

It was while she was thinking of this that the older man spoke again quietly. Reala's heart lurched. I know that cop. But from where? With his back turned she had no way of seeing what he looked like.

Her thoughts turned dark when she realised just how bad the situation could be. If only Dylan Jordyn had found her a week later, but no, it had happened and now she had to deal with it.

If the police found her, they would find out about vampires and if that happened no one was safe. Vampires would be hunted by humans everywhere, and if a vampire was cornered they would rather fight to the death that be captured alive. Vampires and humans would die in there hundreds and so many would suffer because of it.

She twirled a stray lock of her hair between her fingers as she thought.

What to do? I could take out this team of police, but the police seem to get really angry when someone attacks them directly.

She looked at her reflection in the puddle next to her and sighed. She looked so much like her mother that it hurt. Jadelyn had been more that just a parent, she had been a best friend as well. Losing her had affected Reala deeply and even after all this time she still couldn't look in the mirror without seeing her mothers face as she died in Reala's arms.

With effort she tore herself away from painful memories of the past and back to the present, no matter how hard it was she knew she had to focus on the problem at hand.

Looking down at the street again she began to think through the options open to her.

Imprint

Text: Alexandra Littler
Publication Date: 10-04-2012

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