[sylvanSpider]

“Ah, yes! Here we go!” Simon exclaimed upon finding the back entrance, and happily unlocked at that! He resumed his whistling as though he had every right in the world to be there, because he did! He had business to attend to with a William Shaw, and told that he might find him here. It's really a matter of pressing business, it is, so when finding no answer, he decided to check on the inhabitants.

Simon Wegg made no attempts at silence whatsoever, and each footfall made as he wandered echoed through the halls, “Ms. Ward? Are you present? How about a Mr. Shaw?” Silence greeted him once more. When he was absolutely certain he was alone in the house, he decided to search. After all, why not? Something bad could have happened and old Ms. Ward might need his help!

His search led him through many rooms, most of which contained nothing that seemed out of the ordinary. A little dusty, perhaps, but that story would check out with an old widow living in a mansion much too large for one person to inhabit. He continued walking until he found rooms that appeared to be lived in, poking through doors until he found himself in a bathroom...one whose contents were rather intriguing indeed, for within it there was a tub of blood. The smell of copper hit his nose first, before he could even see it, and that was when his suspicions were confirmed. Ms. Ward was undeniably the vampire who he now chased, and Mr. William Shaw may as well be dead.

It was only a matter of time before they came across the body.

=-=-=-=

Emily had been beaming, but that beam froze as if suspended when she caught eyes with the woman. She'd never seen her before... and yet....and yet...it was if she knew her more intimately than any other human alive. As if she was once familiar with her thoughts and feelings, as if this woman had at one point been the most precious thing to her. Her heart caught in her throat until she shook her head as if trying to break free from her gaze. There was one other feeling that hung over when her eyes met the woman's. A feeling that hung black, dark.

A feeling of guilt.

She couldn't help bu feel as if she'd abandoned this woman who had been there through so much when she needed her most. But how can I feel this way about a woman I've only just seen?

“Miss Barker, have you taken ill?” the voice was that of young Rosamund who now stood directly in front of the referred, one dainty hand on the other's dainty shoulder, “You look terribly pale.”

“It's...it's nothing,” the former stammered, even as her eyes were following the back of the woman's head, “I'm fine, it's fine. See? I'm already up! I think you might have done too fine of a job with the corset this morning, Rosamund. Shall we continue?”

[Worm]

William was sure he'd heard his name. "?wahS retsiM" Perhaps? He pulled away from the several pairs of arms holding him down. They were like manacles that required herculean effort to break. But he did. Rose, Blanche and Lillian followed him like shadows as he approached the mirror. William thought he saw someone moving in it, he was sure of it! "Yes! In here! Please, help me!"

By the time his fists could crash against the wall around the mirror, he was pulled back. "In here!" He screamed, being dragged backwards into the darkness. The hands which dragged him, dug into his chest and tore. Blood dripped from each cavern created. "Why? Why must you keep me alive?" He groaned. Sadly, every word he said, no matter how loudly he shouted, was muffled to near silence on the other side of the mirror.

William was a fragment of what he once was. In fact, he wasn’t even sure that he still existed. He felt his mind leave his body once again, returning to the land of dreams and demons while his body was drained. If only it would come to an end.
----

Elizabeth wandered into the men’s shoppe, her smile never leaving her face. She moved fluidly through the tight space, only to find that her prey had moved on. She touched a tie which lingered with Isabel’s scent. With a gloved hand, she held the tie, looking at it longingly. ”Only ten quid, ma’am.” A quiet voice peeked out from behind the vampire.

She shook her head, putting the tie back in its original position. ”No, no. I uhm, actually stumbled in here by accident.” The short man shook his head, disappointed. He managed a smile as he made his way back to the counter. Elizabeth glided out of the door, lifting the trail of her dress so it wouldn’t get caught. Where are you, my beauty? She scanned the cobblestone streets. Cat and mouse, I see?

[sylvanSpider]

Simon reached into his pocket retrieving a pair of white gloves which he now donned as he crouched (whistling all the while) and dipped a finger into the tub as if to make sure that it was what it smelled, and looked for that matter, like. It was. There was more than enough blood to have been from several people rather than the poor soul he'd had the honor of seeing post mortem. He scratched the back of his head, momentarily ceasing his song, confounded. Where are the other bodies? This amount of blood couldn't have come from Mrs. Thomas alone...

He stood, placing the gloves back into his pockets wishing there was a way to see whose blood provided this sort of entertainment for, presumably, the “widow” Ms. Ward. Stepping toward the mirror, he checked his face. Yes, he was tired. Yes, it showed. Dark circles lined the lower lids of his eyes, his hair was mussed up. Mr. Wegg was, in short, in the throngs of an investigation. This vampire would be more difficult than the last, unfortunately. She was obviously powerful. Ancient, maybe. A new vampire would have left some sort of trace at the scene of the crime, and would have undoubtedly been slain right then and there, and Mr. Wegg, again, would have been hailed a hero for the simplest of mundane work.

Staring for a moment at his reflection, he couldn't help but feel as if he was being watched. He shook his head and proceeded to look through the rest of the mansion.

=-=-=-=-=

Emily kept with the appearance of one having too tight a corset, however, leading Rosamund to ask her to visit the women's room so she could loosen it. The prior lady acquiesced and the next shop that they visited, that was the first place they went to, a fitting room large enough for two women in exquisite dresses to fit and soon Emily's corset was loosened enough that a much larger woman would have had no problems breathing. “There you are, Miss Barker. That should help ease your struggles. Though, I tightened yours today no tighter than I usually do. Are you certain you have not fallen ill?”

“Yes, yes, Rosamund, I'm fine. I promise. It's just...It's just—I got this feeling. Did you happen to notice that woman as we were entering the last shoppe?” Emily's voice rapidly picked up speed as she spoke, as if there was no way Rosamund couldn't have seen it as well, seen her as well.

“The ah, particularly beautiful one, Miss Barker? You needn't worry about her. Mr. Shaw is quite infatuated with you enough as it is. I have a hard enough time keeping the two of you separated as it is,” Rosamund said with a good-hearted chuckle as Emily placed her hand on the speaking one's shoulder.

“Oh Rosamund, you're too good to me, you do realize this right?”

“Not at all, Miss Barker. Now, let's get Mr. Shaw his wedding gift and then we can set you down in front of the fire with your book of poetry. How does that sound?”

“That sounds very well, Rosamund, thank you. But we must choose the perfect gift, as he is the perfect groom, you see?” Emily's face was flushed now, but whatever “feeling” she seemed to have had before now appeared to be dissipating as she got more excited about the gift.

The two women, seeming refreshed, now came from their little stall and began perusing the shelves of the shop continuing in their search.

[Worm]

Though Elizabeth had left the shop unsatisfied, she knew that her target was close. The air around her was lifted with Emily's perfume. She breathed deeply, focusing on where she would be. Emily was just leaving the men's shop now with her friend. The day was a bright one, and Elizabeth had to admit to herself that returning home would be best for her condition. In order to get what she wanted, she needed to be stealthy and quick.

The girls turned the corner into the food district, where vendors sold fruit and fish. A bakery marked the corner of this area. The smell of dough enveloped the block. As they made their way there, Elizabeth kept her distance. While making sure to keep the girls within her eye range, she also tried to remain nonchalant and blend in with the crowd. Round sunglasses framed Elizabeth's nose, distracting from a looming grin. She would occasionally pick up a piece of fruit from a vendor and pretend to be interested. Eventually, she could hear the familiar sound of Rosamund's chatter.

The mention of apples alerted Elizabeth to snatch one from the vendor just beside her. Elizabeth then dug into her jacket pocket, revealing a small vial. It was discreet enough that she was able to drip just enough arsenic onto the stem. She placed it back into the stall. With enough allure, she hoped to draw Rosamund to that specific apple. It was the best looking one in its bunch anyways. Once the task was done, she slipped away. It wasn't satisfying to reach her goal this way, but it got the job done. And it got her one step closer to Isabel.

[sylvanSpider]

The pair of women were a sight for every sore eye that day. Each of them were radiant in their own right, laughing and chattering gaily as women from their social standing were permitted to do. They emerged from the men's shoppe with exactly what they needed—a “perfect” tie by Miss Emily's own assertion, the gift now carried on a bag whose handles were around Rosamund's own dainty wrist.

“What do you say to eating out to-day, Miss Barker? We don't need you catching ill with the wedding so close,” Rosamund offered, ever eager to make sure the spoken to's health was in only the best condition as ordered by the benevolent Mr. and Mrs. Trumbuckle.

“I think that sounds wonderful, and a very good way to allow you to have a well-deserved break. Yes, I think it's nice to eat out of the house every once in a while,” the latter assented with a grin. Besides, the smell of the dough from the bakery was alluring and the fruits looked so juicy and ripe for the eating that they were almost irresistible. She picked up a few of the apples, bagged them up and paid the smiling keeper of the cart. One, she picked out for herself, and one she picked out for Emily handing it to her.

“Enjoy! To a fruitful day at the market-place!” Rosamund said with a smile, holding out her apple like she was giving a cheers. Emily, too, held out hers and laughed.

“It's been a long time since I've seen you this playful, Rosamund,” Emily giggled returning the gesture and taking a bite at the end at the same time.

The pair found their way to the bakery, each ordering what sounded like the best treat, and by the time they returned home, Rosamund looked pale. “You'll...you'll excuse me, Miss Barker..” she mumbled as she stepped into the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind her.

[Worm]

Though Elizabeth had left the vendors, she knew when the apple was retrieved. She surged with warmth the moment that Rosamund picked up her apple. She could hear the crisp crunch of her bite. Elizabeth licked her lips, a smile breeding on her face. Though she wanted to watch Rosamund drop to the ground, she had to return to the safety of her home. The light was draining her life force. Even though she was an elder, she still hadn't the ability to withstand sunlight for very long. The light felt like a tunnel of pain snaking towards her. She wiped her forehead, though no sweat was there, it still sizzled and steamed with her touch. The effects of the apple wouldn't actualize for a few hours. So she had time to return home until dusk. Under the veil of sunlight, she was unable to fly. Instead of using supernatural abilities to return, she walked. It was a rather long one too, the rhythmic sound of her shoes against cobblestone kept her focused on the prize. Emily's eyes stung at the back of her head.

When she approached the hill leading towards her manor, she could already tell that something had changed. Her nostrils flared, eyes scanning the area. The hairs on her neck rose, and her fangs protruded instinctually. Someone was in her home. She flocked towards her wolf den, tucked in the dense forest around her mansion. The wolves greeted her like a mother, lapping at her hands and jumping onto her chest. She moved like ice would, crackling through the space. Though she was sheltered from the sunlight now, she had no idea who was wandering around in her domain. Deep underground, beneath the den, there was a door. She placed her hand on it, a purple glow bled around the edges of the door, and it opened.

Inside was her study, which was technically in the basement of her mansion alongside William's original prison. Though now, it was just an open room, with a red stain in the center of the floor. The study was across from this room, and was intentionally sealed with magic. From where she was standing, she could hear the sound of footsteps from the top floor. Hopefully, it was only a curious child or an easy target. Though Elizabeth might argue that all humans were easy targets. "Here kitty kitty." She whispered, a sadistic smile looming on her face.

[sylvanSpider]

Simon never could shake the feeling of eyes on him. Not malicious eyes, but eyes nonetheless. He could feel it. Though, he had no proof. Apophenia, perhaps? The discovery of a bathtub full of presumably human blood would be enough to trigger it. He was a Hellsing for chrissake, menial problems like apophenia shouldn't have an effect on him. He was better than that.

Tearing his eyes from the mirror, Simon began to work with greater haste in putting away his equipment though still made no effort at silence. If the inhabitants were to come back, his being noisy would make for an easier excuse. He most certainly was not sneaking around. He was merely looking for the owner of the house and her business partner. After all, those were the reasons he'd given to a nice couple at the barbershop earlier. Therefore, an alibi was also had.

He straightened his tie before moving on, making a quasi-clean sweep of each room. He didn't have the time (or the excuses for that matter) to be looking for any secret compartments the house may bear, so looking for any signs of life was probably the best idea. One bedroom after another, one reading nook or office space after another—nothing produced results.

So, equipment in hand, Simon began to head for the door with full intentions on coming back later.

[Worm]

With the way her intruder was walking, Elizabeth was beginning to feel a little intimidated. They walked with presence, perhaps a law official. Still grinning, she straightened her blouse and adjusted the breast of her corset. Black lips smacked together as she made her way up the stairs. There was no way that William was getting out anyways. She would go with her original plan, claiming to be the granddaughter of the late Miss Ward. She pulled a loose, blonde curl back from her face and weaved it behind her ear.

As Elizabeth made her way up the stairs, it seemed that the foreign footsteps made their way into the same corridor. And sure enough, there he was. Scrawny, black hair, with a fierce energy. But, not an official at all. Perhaps something much more dangerous, and Elizabeth rather enjoyed danger. She smiled coyly, meeting his gray eyes. ”May I help you, sir? You happen to be trespassing in my property!” While most women these days didn’t have the gall to speak so brashly, Elizabeth’s Hungarian accent might help excuse her faux pas.

[sylvanSpider]

Simon straightened, turning on his heel to face the young woman. Immediately upon laying eyes on her Simon had what he would call a “Eureka moment,” it all clicking together perfectly, or rather, pieces that were already there revealed their true pattern to them. Simon's face, however, remained cool, “On your property, Miss? I'm sorry, but the woman that owns this house is very elderly. I knocked at the door, you see, but found no answer so I assumed the worst given the Lady of the House's age.”

Simon straightened his tie, looking down at the woman without an ounce of the fear that the woman tried to bestow, “However, it seems she is out and you are here.” His lips pressed into a thin line, waiting to see how the woman would respond. They were heading into a tango, the two of them, and Simon had every intent on leading.

[Worm]

Elizabeth was surprised by the man's boldness. She smiled crookedly, almost enough to slip a fang through. But she was quick on her feet, beginning to quiver her lip. "You would be correct, Sir." She sighed, brushing a hand against her forehead, feigning despair. "You see -" She took a large whiff of the air, tasting Simon's perfume. A sour blood. Someone with knowledge, and strength. It would be like a fine, dry wine - much different than the sweet bloods she normally craved.

"You see. My grandmother she... passed just last night...." She choked up fake tears, letting them roll down her immaculate white skin. "In a pool of her blood." She now began bawling, burying her face into her sleeve to wipe away tears. "I've been staying with her, preparing for this..." She sniffled, looking up at Simon, trying to dig out some pity. "She didn't want to live alone anymore." She nodded, her eyes glazed with summoned pain. "Do you blame her?" Elizabeth looked back up to the curious man. Searching for some cue from him that he was believing her story. She was an incredible actor, as one had to be in her situation. "I'm so-sorry." She shook her head, peeling a smile back to her face. "What was your name? Were you a friend of my grandmother?"

[sylvanSpider]

Simon wasn't buying any of it. He simply watched as the conjured tears fell. He had to give it to her though; they were convincing. Had Simon been another man, he might have ran to her to give her comfort. As it was, however, his hands stayed dangling at their sides as he assessed the situation. This woman was a vampire alright. “Solitude,” Simon said, “Has its benefits.” This was his method of saying that he did indeed blame her. He blamed her for the death of Mrs. Thomas. And the disappearance of William Shaw.

“No. No, I was no friend of hers. It is a pity I will never have the opportunity of becoming that. I came on different matters. I was told a Mr. William Shaw had business with the apparently now deceased Ms. Ward. I have business with that man. He was last seen on this residence. If you could lead me to him, it would be of much appreciation from myself.”

[Worm]

Elizabeth turned to stone. This sour blooded man wasn't buying it. She smiled. "I suppose that can be true." She knew about solitude all too well and her only chance to leave it wasn't going to be crushed by a complete stranger. "Mr. Shaw was here last night, he was supposed to meet both of us in the morning - alas, he never made it here. Perhaps for the best, seeing as my grandmother didn't make it through the night either." She was on the verge of snarling, finding herself uncomfortable with the new presence.

"Its a shame." She shook her head. "My grandmother said he was a fine gentleman. Too bad he is already committed." She chuckled. Although the reason behind this was primarily because Elizabeth was about to take his lovely bride. "Would you like a drink, Mr-?" She fished for a name, leaning against a wall like a femme fatale.

[sylvanSpider]

Simon could have smirked, but kept his face perfectly neutral. It was no wonder he never had any friends, the man always carried himself like this. He was also not one to tread lightly. "What a funny coincidence. The couple that he is lodging with claim they have not seen him since last night," Simon's eyes were boring holes into the vampire now.

"Wegg. Simon Wegg. You'd do well to remember it," Simon uttered, watching the woman closely and in her entirety, "And I suppose I shall call you Miss Ward as well? Or has your name changed? I assume since you commented on Mr. Shaw's status as an engaged man that you have not been spoken for?"

[Worm]

Elizabeth was impressed with the man, obviously doing a job quite well. "You would be correct, Mr. Wegg." She dipped her head, showing a bit of faux shame. Not like she'd ever want to be wed. Her eyes were on a very specific girl. "Are you saying that Mr. Shaw is missing?" She gasped. "Why, that is terrible! And you- you're suggesting that my grandmother has something to do with this?" She furrowed her brow, insulted.

"I assure you, my grandmother was much too feeble to do something so - horrid." She wagged her head back and forth, drawing up tears again. "Unfortunately, the bit of strength she did have, left with her and a slit throat." She sobbed now. "I would advise you to leave, Mister Wegg!" She pointed to the door with a rigid finger. "Get out of my house!" After all, the home was owned by Miss Elizabeth Ward.

[sylvanSpider]

"All of the evidence points to this household, Miss Ward," Simon said, narrowing his eyes slightly. He stayed right where he was, watching her pitiful display. She had to know that he knew. "Yes, your grandmother was much too feeble to even take care of herself prior to your coming here, I'd be willing to bet. I do find it quite interesting at your lack of staff."

It was an interesting waltz that they were dancing, and Simon had to be careful. Before he could make a move, he needed assess the situation and the power level of the vampire. At a minimum, she'd been turned a decade ago, and at maximum? Well, there was no way to tell that just yet. Simon shook his head, producing a badge, "I cannot leave I'm afraid, Miss Ward. You see, I'm an investigator, and if I thought I had my hands full with a murder and a missing person, apparently now I must make that two murders. I am going to need to request you lead me to the body for an inspection, and I will be needing to call the mortician as well to cart the body away and prepare it for burial...unless this isn't a Christian home?"

[Worm]

Though Elizabeth knew it best to not to affiliate with something other than Christianity in a place like this, it was undeniable. Her accent was thick and Hungarian. She wasn't raised Christian even two hundred years prior. So she chuckled. "No. It is not a Christian home." She lowered her eyes. "And nana did have help. They are cleaning up the mess in the bathroom as we speak. Her cook is taking some personal time to cope with the death, and to purchase me some specific items. Seeing as I've acclimated to the new country better than my grandmother has. You see, I like things other than goulash. And she abhorred the French. I however, have been craving the pastries from town." She was a good liar. And manipulator.

It didn't take much for Elizabeth to summon her concubines. For the moment that she'd glanced down, she'd been peering into her mirror world, alerting them. In a row, they streamed from the mirror in the basement and made their way towards the blood filled bath tub. If this Simon Wegg wanted to play, she would play her role. "But erm-" She cleared her throat from small talk. "As far as the body goes... My handmaidens have already taken care of it..." She sniffled, making eye contact with the man, holding a sturdy glance. She was powerful enough to make all of her lies come true. And she intended to make it so.

"If you'd like... I can show you the remains." She grinned. "But that would be ill advised for a Christian." And perhaps she could have a new puppet if Simon were daft enough to fall into her trap.