It had taken some time for items to arrive from the reliquary, but as soon as they did arrive, the three chosen members of The Society of Leopold left for Willow Creek. Anna, Joseph and Simon found a place to set headquarters – an old, rundown motel outside of town where suspicious acts were more likely to go unnoticed. Three people, two rooms – one for Anna, and the men shared. Anna’s room, it was decided, would be the interrogation room. Once checked in, they headed to their rooms and began unpacking, taking special note of what reliquary items they had been assigned.
Anna held a Griffin’s Ring. It was a silver earring with intricate carvings of birds and owls along its edge. When in the presence of a vampire, it would make a bird’s cry in her ear. The Orb of Ulain was given to Simon. It was a dull red crystal set into a tarnished silver necklace. It allowed the wearer to resist a vampire’s mind control. Finally, Joseph had the Ring of Chrysostom – a silver band with a cross roughly engraved in it, believed to have been worn by St. John Chrysostom. Wearing it allotted the individual to wield faith against a vampire. Once they had unpacked, then met up together, and discussed plans of action.
“How should we proceed?” Joseph asked.
“We search the city for the likeliest feeding grounds. It’s there we’re most likely to find these disgusting creatures.” Anna snarled. She was a fierce one, trained herself hard in many fighting styles in order to combat the monsters of the night as a form of justice for her husband, who had been killed by one.
“We should take caution not to stand out.” Simon said. “We don’t want to give ourselves away prematurely.”
The three nodded in agreement, checking their state of dress before leaving and taking their rental cars to scout the layout of the city. It was unknown how many were in the city, but they were all hoping to deal with the one who’d slaughtered the previous members sent to the city. They had a little information to go on – a picture of the person they had tried interrogating. The trio had decided not to acquire the female in question, but to follow her, and try to deduce from there what might be lurking. It’s possible she may have just been a victim. Moreover, they didn’t want to arouse suspicion too early.
It was Joseph who found her first, at a club called Nightborn. Discreetly, he followed her home, and watched the dwelling from some distance away. He sat patiently, and was rewarded a half hour later with someone approaching her door. Using the camera on his phone, he zoomed in on the man’s face and snapped a quick picture before tucking the phone away. While the man was inside, he texted his brethren, and informed him of happenings, and stated he would be following the man, just incase. They told him to keep in touch, and apparently, the visit was a short one, as the man was soon leaving.
Joseph waited for him to drive past before following him back to his hotel, making doubly sure to check the room number. He’s someone to check in on. He may not know anything, or he may be one of them. There’s only one way to find out. He left the man alone, and met back up with Anna and Simon to discuss what the next step should be.
“We should confront him.” Simon said. Anna nodded in agreement.
“I’ll know if he’s one of them when we get close.” she said, fingering her earring. “Joseph can use faith to deter it if he’s one of them. Otherwise, we can simply ask what he knows; maybe we’ll get lucky.”
They waited until around midnight to go back to the hotel Joseph had tracked the man to, and knocked at the outside door to his room.
“What is it?” he said as he opened the door, then blinked in confusion at the three of them.
“We’d like to talk, sugar.” Anna drawled in her southern accent, and pushed him back as she walked into his room.
Joseph and Simon followed; the man glared.
“I don’t know who the fuck you are, but I’d like you to get the fuck out.”
“That’s not happening darlin’.” Anna tapped her ear and shook her head so that her companions would know that he was not a vampire.
Joseph and Simon looked at each other before closing the door to the room and grabbed the man by an arm and forced him into a chair.
“What do you know of the foul creatures that call themselves vampire?”
The man blinked. “Are you crazy?”
“No darlin’. You see, we spotted you talking to a known vampire sympathizer. So if you don’t want trouble, I expect you to cooperate.”
“Who are you, exactly?” the man asked her.
“We represent a religious order that wishes to rid the world of it’s foulest creatures. So let me ask you who you are.”
“David. David Krueger.”
“Well David, I’m Anna. That there is Joseph, and the other is Simon. So now that introductions are over, why don’t you tell us what you know.” Joseph and Simon released David then, and he rubbed one shoulder.
“You’re a hunter. Well so am I, to an extent. I’ve learned to recognize them and their servants.”
“Well then you’ll be most helpful to us, now won’t you? Tell us about the female you met with tonight.”
“She’s neither a vampire nor a servant, though I believe she’s had run-ins with them more than once or twice.”
“Do you know where we can find one of these fiends? Or at least a servant?”
David paused for a moment, thinking. He was not about to give his son up as a servant, and he knew of two vampires only. The one with the white hair and shades he couldn’t remember the name of. But there was Charles. He had to give them an answer, and quick, so Charles it was. He could be vague and call to warn him – he didn’t want to endanger the fragile relationship he had with his son any more than necessary.
“There is one I know of. Passes himself off as a social worker of sorts. Not sure where to find him exactly though.” a blatant lie, but he hoped it passes.
“What kind of social work?” she prodded.
“Taking care of the homeless. Stuff like that.” he knew there were several shelters in town, and it would take them time to search them all.
“Thank you for being so helpful. We’ll be in touch.” she said, and then the three of them left.
David let out a heavy breath, then got up to peek through the window and make sure they were really gone. Once they had left he checked the room to see if they had planted any listening devices before calling Charles.