Page 2 of The Vampire Trap
“I’ve been studying the papers since the first murder. If you look at the details, it’s the only thing that makes sense. No bruising or signs of struggle, which means they were probably compelled into passivity.”
There’s a long pause and I hold my breath waiting for the rest. Because there must be more. Benjamin has never liked vampires, but he’s not one to make claims without proof.
When he continues, his voice is so low, I have to strain to hear anything. “Then, there’s the way their throats are slit, almost to the bone in a single move. The killer would need considerable arm strength. It’s a clean cut, except for where it begins… it’s as if he twists the knife to mutilate the skin as if to hide something.”
“And you think the killer is trying to hide bite marks,” Wallace says, matter-of-factly.
From the corner of my eye, I catch the movement of Ben’s head bobbing in a sharp nod.
“Why the viscount specifically? There are several vampires living within the city’s borders that are just as likely,” Wallace points out.
“The viscount has resided at Lakewood manor for nearly fifty years and nothing of this sort has ever happened in that time. Not everyone shares your views. You’re aware most of Sangate believe it is thanks to him that our city has flourished.”
“Just because something has not happened in the past, does not mean that it cannot happen, now or in the future.” Benjamin’s footsteps move near silently over the spring grass as he closes the distance between the others. He drapes an arm over each of their shoulders, then lowers his voice to say, “I did not come to this conclusion lightly.”
I find myself nodding along with his words. While it’s true that Benjamin has never quite trusted the vampires in our city, he has always been fair in his manner and dealings with everyone.
He doesn’t make rash decisions or lift a finger without consideration or sufficient evidence regarding anything. If there is even a sliver of doubt, he will continue to gather information until that doubt is assuaged.
Oscar and Wallace lean in.
“I stumbled upon an obvious clue that everyone seems to have missed thus far.”
“Demons and saints—out with it already.” Oscar shoves Ben’s arm off his shoulder.
I shuffle a bit closer and strain to hear what he says next.
“When I listed out the names of each victim, I realized the names I knew had one thing in common. Then upon looking into the other victims’ backgrounds, I found they, too, shared this commonality: Each have volunteered to feed at least one of the lesser vampires recently, and then slaughtered within a few nights of feeding the viscount.”
Ben reaches into his pocket and pulls out a piece of parchment, unfolding it before handing it over for Oscar and Wallace to read.
My stomach churns. I can’t read it from here, but the sunlight makes it easy to see the ink. The list is long. Much longer than I realized.
“What else could it be, if the viscount’s attempts to rid Sangate of all others of his kind, and gain power?”
“Jealousy?” Wallace offers.
Benjamin rounds on his friend and pokes him in the chest. “But even that still points directly—and only—to the viscount.” He holds his head with a triumphant tilt.
“Shouldn’t we take this information to the authorities and let them handle this?” Before Wallace even finishes, Ben is shaking his head.
“Normally, yes. But he’s part of the vampire court, it will take weeks, even months, before they get through all the paperwork and procedures before they even attempt to take him into custody. How many men and women do you think will be murdered in that time? If the people catch on to the connection between the victims, even the worshippers would refuse to let those things feed on them.”
The worshipers believe vampires were sent by the saints to watch over us. They revere them and are usually the first to volunteer during the Claiming each autumn. In addition to offering their blood to any vampire needing to feed, in the city or passing through.
Some say they are humans driven mad from the sheer power of compulsion. Others say they must have been infected by the bite of a demon cursed vampire.
Though, it always seemed to me that the latter was more likely a story intended to scare children. After all, being demon cursed was a death sentence. The demon’s power rotted inside their bonded vampire’s veins. It would be more logical for a bite to cause the rot to spread and kill the human, not cause unfaltering adoration. Regardless, I don’t suppose it matters what the true cause of such fanatical behavior is. They are harmless to others.
Still, volunteering to feed a vampire is considered an honor even among the rest of the city’s residents. The payment is no small thing either.
My blood chills as I finally understand what Jane and Sabrina discussed earlier.
I should say something… I can’t let them put themselves in harm’s way. Except doing so might cause rifts between both our families. There must be another way, because doing nothing isn’t an option.
“Without a willing food source,” Benjamin continues. “They will take what they want by force.” Ben runs a hand over his face. “I cannot sit here and wait for more people to needlessly die, or for something worse to happen.”
Benjamin’s sentiments echo my own.