Kierra

I don't count the steps, my eyes and brain are too busy focusing on what's ahead of me. Two wooden pillars come into view, one on each side of the room. The further down I go the more pillars that are revealed. Eight wood columns in total, four on each side go down the length of the room.

That's the thought that tries to take up the front of my brain, but it gets pushed back by the sights I behold, having to swallow down bile as my stomach threatens to rebel. When it comes to movies and even in most situations I had found myself in involving blood and gore, it doesn't prepare you for the real thing. Your brain tries to protect you by not comprehending anything for you at first, but after that small period of time, it's all on your constitution. Seeing it would be bad enough, but mix in smell and that's what gets you each time.

I've never had issues with human blood and gore, it's animal blood that would get to me. That was then, now, being so close to it... It's a very different experience. My hand tightens around Xavier's, nails digging into his skin through the thick leather gloves on both my hand and his.

Thick, black metal chains and meat hooks hang from the ceiling at different lengths, slabs of meat hanging from them. Each a different shape and in different stages of rot and decomp. Black rings are bolted at different heights on the columns, all four sides from what I can tell.

Five scattered pillars have thick chains attaching a body to them. Three are dangling while the other two are more leaning forward. Long tables set back against the walls hold all manner of bloody tools and body parts.

The cement floor is dark with blood. No drain for it to run into, so it just built up. Several buckets spread throughout the room are filled with a black substance, three guesses as to what that is.

Most of the bodies look human-shaped from here, my feet won't go any further than the last step to be able to tell. Xavier is pressed to my back, one long arm around the front of my shoulders. I couldn't take another step even if I had wanted.

The closest body is hardly distinguishable; the outer skin had been taken completely off, legs missing from below the knees. Arms hang above their head with a combination of chain and cord wrapped around the wrists, attaching them to a black ring that hangs higher than the height that person had once been.

I can hear a dripping coming from somewhere deeper within, but can't tell exactly where. Viscera is spread along parts of the walls that I can see, like you would hang holiday garland in a house. Symbols are painted on the wall, nothing I recognize, and some of it looks to be written like it's a sentence.

Pressing my back against the male behind me, I let him know I've had enough. Luckily he allows me to go without having to swoon in his arms. It's not till I get a few feet away from the doors that I notice I still have a hold of his hand. I let go instantly.

Walking farther away as I breathe deeply, settling both mind and stomach, my brain is having none of it as it screams at me that those people were in my home. Well, only the woman, but that's bad enough. My sister was in that woman's company.

That thought is what gets to me as I bend over, clutching my knees while my insides try to exit through my mouth. My long loose hair is drawn back, but I pull away as I rip off the glove and wipe at my mouth.

"That woman was near my sister. She was in my home. I laughed with her while they had been torturing people in that hell hole."

I have to stop and breathe to keep from shouting.

"You couldn't have known. No human would have known."

My head is shaking hard, hair flying everywhere. I should have known. I should have known something wasn't right. The signs would have been there if I had only looked.

Overheated face is steadily heating up as I stay bent over. Throwing my head back, I keep my face pointed up. The cloudy sky is bright from reflecting light. Yellow eyes close as I will my skin to cool, my whole body has raised in temperature while burning tears bathe down my cheeks.

I can hear Xavier walking around, kicking snow over my vomit. More pacing in front of me than actually 'around'. My skin is still growing hotter. Screw it. I pull my shirt over my head and stand there, arms held out as the cloth falls to the ground.

My eyes stay closed, last thing I need right now is a blush to add to my issues. The cold air on my skin feels amazing. Definitely going to have to learn to control myself better. Can't very well go around stripping because something or another goes wrong.

"Did you see the symbols? The writing? Do you recognize any of it?"

Eyes open, but stay directed at the clouds. Palms pointed up as if offering myself to some Pagan God.

"No. No language I've ever seen or come across before. The scent of the owners of this place will be too contaminated from everything down there to try and distinguish."

I shake my head as I lower it, looking out through the trees.

"It wouldn't matter even if you could pick it up. From the looks of inside the house, they've been gone for quite awhile."

Starting to talk under my breath, my mind points inwards as I talk to myself out loud.

"The same happened with Asher's home some twenty-five years ago. No one has come to fix it up or bulldoze it. No one comes to look for them or civil servants looking for bills or utilities getting shut off. I swear I live in a dead zone. If Faline or I had died, been abducted, or even killed within my home, it would be weeks before anyone would come by, and only then by family."

I'd been pacing and didn't realize it, my arms crossing in front of me as they usually do when I'm thinking while upright.

"I need to get a hold of public records or something. Something here isn't right. First Asher's whole thing is buried and hidden, now this. I'd never gone into their house before now, so it's possible that they never actually lived within it. They had animals here though."

I look up at the small awning that acted as a horse shelter, the cat skeleton being over there as well. The cat could survive on its own, but the horse?

"What was the point in having a horse? I never saw either ride it. Never seen them interact with it period. Then they go and take it but leave all that?"

"I don't think they took it."

My eyes direct to the open doors as his meaning sinks in. At least one of the body masses had been too large to have been human. My gut churns while my mind whirls.

The odor is still rank, but not anywhere near as strong. I need to make another stop while Downtown. There's only one person I know who can hack around most systems and get information.

Include that with now knowing what he is, he might know a way to dispose of all those...things. They're no longer people, and haven't been for a long time. Just empty shells left behind in a world too cruel.

Yellow eyes go to the animal playing at being human, his jacket open as his gaze comes to mine from also looking at the black hole. He's only a few feet from me, no hint of the flirty playboy anywhere in his face. A muscle in his jaw dances as his amber eyes relive some horror of his past.

My shirt is clenched in his hands, and I'd like it back now. Now that my brain has had time and I'm focusing on a path, my heated skin is going back to its normal warmth. I reach out tentatively and tap at his hand, not wanting to startle him too much. Don't want to accidentally trigger any PTSD breakdowns.

Can Werewolves have or get post-traumatic stress issues? That would really suck. His hardened expression softens as he blinks at me, small goatee shifting in a gust of wind.

I tug at my shirt, his fingers still wrapped tight in the material. He lets go instantly after looking down at his hands, his head staying down till after I pull my shirt on. Light-colored eyes come back up to mine as he speaks.

"What's the plan? You brought some supplies with you, but I don't think it'll be enough."

I shrug and puff out a large amount of air.

"When I go into town, I'm gonna stop and talk to Benjamin. He's really good around computers. Going to see if he can find more info for me aside what he's already looking into. And the whole being Vampire thing, he might know those who can dispose of the...bodies."

Shrugging again, I wonder if I'm assuming things just because he's a Vamp. Guess we'll find out.

"You willing to come with me into town or did you want me to take you somewhere? Doubt you'd want to stay here."

"I'll go with you, two noses are better than one."

Well there is that. Looking back at the doors, I come to the conclusion that, for now, it will be better to close them. Don't want the fox or anything else getting into it. There's really nothing more I can do here.

The thought of interacting with any more undead is not a happy one, but I don't know what else to do. They can't stay here, not now when I know they're there. After telling Xavier the 'plan', we get the doors closed, leave all the items brought next to it, and head back to my place.

Soon as I walk in I go straight to the bathroom to shower. My house, me first. Coming out wrapped in my towel, I call out that it's free and go to my room. With the door closed, I go over things in my head, ending up at my bed and sitting on it.

If the Vamp angle doesn't work, I can call Ava, see if she knows any Shifters or whatever that would do it. For peace of mind, I'll pay for it. If that doesn't work, I'll burn the whole damn place down. Not like anyone is going to come check on things anyway.

May just do that instead, the cellar at least. Cleanse by fire an all that. Should get pictures of the writing first. Swear I need to start carrying a checklist with me, you'd think I'd already be carrying some kind of source of paper with me for when ideas strike for my book writing, but nope.

I either forget said ideas or they bug me till I get home to write them down. No real in-between. Should drop by to see the Vamp anyway, see if he has any information about the man claiming to be Bastion's uncle. Impatient, who, me?

Shit. Since that reward bullshit is up, taking Bastion anywhere is going to be extremely dangerous. If he hasn't made that connection yet, I'll let him know. That way he understands why I won't take him anywhere for awhile, unless it's Ava's.

Good thing he has new books and puzzles to keep him busy. I could always ask Asher to take him out and teach him about tracking or something if he starts getting cabin fever. A sigh escapes me as I realize that once again I'm depending on someone who won't be around too much longer.

I'll bring it up, but I won't ask him, leave it to him to choose whatever. Or mention it to Bastion and have him ask. Dirty, but it works. I get dressed once again and check over the jewelry in my ears to make sure the skin isn't trying to heal over them, that would really suck.

I was in my room so long that Xavier had been in and out of the shower already. While Downtown, going to have to send him to a few of the small shops. Not like he has very many clothes, and seems to be going through them rather fast lately. Can't take the time to go to the laundromat right now, too much other stuff to do. Should look into some spandex, it's stretchy, right?