Chapter Text
The Sheriff knew this wasn't going to be an easy night when Lia came bursting into his office, talking about another body that had been found in the woods.
That doesn't mean he was ready to show up with his deputies and the dogs in tow, just to find the mutilated body of a young girl laying dead amongst the trees.
That doesn't mean he was ready for the stench that stuck to his lungs like tar, and made it hard to stop himself from clearing every ounce of his stomach.
That doesn't mean any of them were ready.
Deputy Sticks retched and stumbled over to a nearby tree, covering his nose.
The dogs whimpered and barked, lowering themselves further to the ground as if they were afraid.
He couldn't blame them. He was afraid too.
But he quickly took control and began barking orders, just like he was chosen to do.
"Clark, Vincent, set a perimeter. I don't want anyone else finding out about this. William, get the coroner over here — the sooner we get this girl some decency, the better." There was a pause as he chewed on his next words. "… I'm going to go find her parents. Let them know what happened."
His words hung heavy in the air like a noose around everyone's necks. Possibly the worst part of all of this. Telling the family that they had lost their daughter.
That this had gone from a missing person's case to a murder investigation that would likely never be solved. Assuming it wasn't an animal that had done this.
His eyes locked onto the body again, but he could only look so long before he had to turn away once more. The words of the veterinarian echoing in his mind.
"A wolf could've done something like this. If it were feral enough. Or particularly defensive of its territory. But wolves usually prefer to hobble their prey, and then go for the throat." — "See how deep these gashes go? Too deep for a wolf. Too wide. You're looking at bears, or mountain lions maybe."
The only thought he could muster as the sight of the girl's body burned itself into his skull was "if it was a bear that did this, then I'm the fucking tooth fairy." But he bit the words back as he made his way back towards his cruiser. "Let's get to it people."
The deputies shouted a quick "Yes Sheriff!" before they moved quickly. Setting a perimeter, informing the EMTs and Coroner, and preserving the scene as best they could until she was ready to move.
None of them envied the Sheriff. As horrible as it was to see the body, to smell the rotting flesh — it was preferable to looking her parents in the eyes and telling them that their daughter would never come home again. That she would never have a family of her own, or be able to hug them again.
It was a fate worse than death for many of the deputies. And the Sheriff had volunteered to do it alone.
The drive wasn't the longest part of the notification. It was sitting outside of the house, trying to gather his thoughts and pray for the strength he needed to walk up to the door and ring the bell. It was walking across the lawn, as if he were Atlas carrying the world with every step he takes. It was even reaching his hand up to the door and hearing the sound that haunted him ever since his first day on the job.
The doorbell that signaled a family about to be ripped in half and shredded.
…
…
…
The door opened finally. A man and a woman stood there. The Sheriff watched as the hope on their faces turned into confusion and concern as they saw the Sheriff instead of their daughter. He watched as the confusion turned into grief and rage.
"Mister and Missus Kelmor, I'm sorry to inform you that at 1:32 AM, we found your daughter Kelsey,"
His words were drowned out by the wife's sobbing. He watched as the husband held her closely, allowing her to cry into his chest as he continued talking. Informing them that they would be needed at the coroner's office to finalize the identification of the body. Informing them that he was incredibly sorry for their loss.
It all felt hollow — even to him.
He gave a small bow of his head and stepped away from the door, moving towards his cruiser once more. Leaving behind destruction in his wake as he delivered the worst news they would ever hear in their life. The death of their child.
A week from now, when they move out, he wouldn't be surprised. He would just pour himself an ounce of whiskey and down it in one gulp before returning to his work.
But for now, he was needed elsewhere. The car turned back on and he made his way back towards the crime scene. Even as his hands tightened around the wheel so hard he was sure something would break. He just wasn't sure if it would be the wheel, or his own fingers.
I snarled loudly as I bound through the forest as quickly as I could. My feet pounding into the ground and kicking up dirt and leaves with every step. Carrying me faster than any human could ever hope to achieve as I followed the vile scent.
Black fire dripped from my maw, burning the ground forest floor before extinguishing itself. Leaving behind scorch marks that followed me like a trail of death.
"Focus, Pup. Use all of your senses. It will seek to distract you."
I didn't respond. Couldn't. But I understood.
Bright, glowing eyes flickered across the forest as I sought my prey. My nose working on overdrive as I sniffed its scent like a bloodhound. My ears twitching back and forth as I listened for the smallest indicator of its intentions.
Snap.
I turned on a dime and began sprinting through the trees in a different direction with a supernatural agility. Ducking and weaving through branches and thick shrubbery. Nothing would stop me from finding it. From rending its flesh from its bones.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Its feet carried it through the forest quickly. Blood and saliva dripping down its jaw as it moved far too swiftly for its wretched form.
Kill. Kill. Kill. Feast. Master demands blood. Flesh. Bone. Consume. Rip.
Its thoughts were animalistic. Simple. Guided by instinct and focused on causing as much death and destruction as it could manage. Mere distractions compared to the bigger picture, but that was fine.
The only thing it cared about was its Master's bidding. And its Master's bidding was to kill.
So it killed them. It killed them all. It slaughtered them, ripping through their bodies and feasting occasionally.
It would have feasted tonight. But it had caught wind of it.
That scent.
It had smelled it before. Days ago.
Its first kill. Something had attacked. Originally it had suspected a Wolf. Master spoke plenty of the Wolves. But it was stronger than the Wolves. It would kill them and feast on them too for Master.
Whatever attacked was fast. Strong. Powerful. It burned. Hot. Scorching. Not a Wolf. Something else. Whatever it was, it had come back. So it ran before it could feast.
But it knew how to create traps. It knew how to ambush. It was a predator by nature. Master had given it that much. The knowledge to hide and attack at the right time. It had almost killed it before. It would finish the job this time.
It moved faster and faster. Claws scraping across a tree as the wood rotted instantly where the marks had been left.
Overwhelm the senses, draw it in. Lure it. Make it think it has the upper hand. Then strike.
It clawed another tree as it kept moving. Its lips splitting open in a disgusting, bloodied grin as large fangs that didn't fit its mouth shined beneath the moonlight.
…
…
…
It waited in the trees. Hiding in the brush.
It had laden the area with its heavy scent. Overwhelm the senses. Strike when it least expects it.
It could hear it coming closer. It was fast. Like the Wolves. But its scent was different. Certainly not a Wolf. Maybe Bear? Serpent? … No. Older.
Its skin bristled as it waited. Whatever it was, it would die just the same. Nothing could survive its claws. Master made sure of that.
So it waited.
And soon enough, it was granted the first real sight of its target.
A hulking beast stalked through the trees, nearly eight feet in height. Its body was athletic, lean. The perfect mix of agility and strength. Nothing like the Wolves who strayed further towards strength and size.
Lines of liquid magma seemed to run through its charcoal fur, like scars made of fire and boiling rock that seemed to pulse in tune with its heartbeat. It could see the dark flame dripping from its maw — full of sharp, brutal fangs.
Eyes that looked like the depths of hell scoured the forest around the creature, looking for it. Soon, it would be found. Which is why it needed to strike.
Except it was afraid. The beast before it was unnatural. And for once, it knew it was outmatched. That's why it needed to strike now. Even as its skin twisted and bubbled.
A soft growl escaped my throat as I looked around, stepping into the clearing. The scent of the abomination had brought me here. But it was too thick, making it difficult to pinpoint its exact location.
My paws flexed, razor sharp claws on the end of each finger that sparked with a harsh fire as I prepared myself to burn this portion of the forest to smoke the creature out. But before I could act, I was slammed into from above.
I went tumbling across the forest floor, quickly pushing myself back up to my feet as I stared at my aggressor.
It was vile. An abomination made manifest. Flesh and bone and darkness stitched together into a rotting body. I could see the skin that remained slipping off like loose leather. Its wide mouth was coated in blood and flesh stuck between its abnormally long fangs. I didn't need to look down to know that its claws were dripping with a necrotic energy. The same dark magic that had caused some disgusting, horrible damage to its victims and the trees leading me here.
Which is why it needed to be purged. Scorched from this world.
It roared at me — a horrible, screeching sound made with rotten, twisted vocal cords. And I roared back, bellowing out a dark, deep sound in return as I charged. It rushed towards me in return, swiping at me with its claws.
I duck beneath its claws and slam my shoulder into its belly. My arms wrapping around its twisted body as I lift it from the ground and carry it towards the nearest tree with a brutal speed. Even as it tries to claw through my fur.
Unfortunately for the Ghoul, I was much more resilient in this form.
Which is why I slammed the creature full bore into the tree, crushing its rib cage with my weight as it howled. It retaliated by shifting its body in unnatural ways to press its feet against my chest, kicking me away with its immense strength.
My claws dig into its sides and rip flesh from bone before I go soaring across the forest floor. Sparks of flame burst from my palms and scorch the flesh, turning it into little more than ash as I find my footing again — then I rush it again.
This time, it knew better than to swipe mindlessly. Which is why it lunged back at me, snapping its jaws like a shark to try and rip through my flesh.
I reach out with my paw as violet sparks appear between my fingers, before I yank downwards. An invisible force dragging the Ghoul down towards the ground, causing it to skid through the dirt. The flesh on its face ripping off as it fights against the unseen hand wrapped around its throat, forcing its skull to stay buried in the mud.
I couldn't hold it long, but I didn't need to.
With another brutal roar, I pounce onto the abomination. Claws digging through its soft flesh and slicing through the spinal cord. Fangs chewing through its throat and neck before tearing away the meat. Splashing blood across the forest and my dark fur as the creature spasms beneath me.
But it didn't end there. With a maw full of its flesh, I roar a final time as black fire rushes from my throat and engulfs the creature in a violent display.
It howls and screeches and claws at the dirty with everything it could manage as the fire burns away at the magic holding its form together. Burning its flesh and searing into the horrible essence that had allowed this creature to live.
No matter how hard it tried to fight to escape, it was futile. This was its judgement— execution. I was its executioner. And its death was neither swift, nor merciful.
Soon there was nothing left. Not an ounce of blood or shred of flesh. Everything that made up the Ghoul had been disintegrated in the purifying flame.
"Congratulations, Pup." The voice spoke up again, and I could practically hear the grin. "You've just taken your first steps towards truly being a Hellhound. You should take pride in your first kill. A ghoul is no easy feat for someone of your experience."
I didn't respond as I slowly pushed myself up to my feet. My eyes locked onto where the creature's corpse had been. I took a moment to compose myself and flush out the intense rage in my system before I spoke.
"And what now? Is it done?"
"Unfortunately not. The ghoul is merely a symptom of a much larger cause. But for now, you need to rest. You have done plenty tonight. And there will be more opportunities to hunt in the future."
…
"As I said— Eli. Take pride in what you've done here tonight. You avenged her. You avenged them. Trust me, there is nothing more to do be accomplished tonight other than rest. And prepare for the future."
I stood there silently, still not looking away from the site of my first kill. It was only when I caught wind of the sirens in the distance that I looked up and towards them. "… Guess they've found the body."
I finally sighed and turned to leave the forest. "Yeah. I need to sleep." The voice only chuckled in response but said nothing else. Which was fine by me.
Chris moved quietly through the forest as the sunlight peered through the branches above him. He followed the scorch marks in the dirt until he found the clearing where they stopped.
His eyes slowly traveling across the area as he took it all in. Lingering on the rotten claw marks in the trees as a sigh escapes him. "Damnit." He mutters and moves forward again, allowing his hand to gently press into the tree — staying mindful of the rotten section. "Just what we need."
"Hey, Dad." A feminine voice calls out to him, causing him to turn and look at his daughter. "You think a Mage killed it?"
He doesn't respond, turning back to look at the tree as he mulls it over.
"Maybe."
He left the "maybe not" unspoken. It brought too much weight with it. Too much to consider.
It would be… Complicated if a Mage had arrived in Beacon Hills, let alone whatever had brought the ghoul. But if it wasn't a Mage that killed the ghoul, then it would be even worse. And right now, he didn't dare think about the few possibilities it could be otherwise.
… "Let's go, sweetheart. You need to get to class." He turns back to his daughter again, giving her a small smile. "Want to grab some coffee on the way?"
"Yes please." Allison says with a smile in return. "Thanks." As she makes her way back out of the forest and towards their SUV.
He turns to take one last look at the tree, before he follows his daughter. Pushing the thoughts out of his mind for the time being. At least until he could contact someone who'd know more about this. He hoped.