"A contract?" The human repeats in confusion.
"A contract in which it could benefit the two of us. Is there anything you wish for? An impossible dream that you want to achieve?" I answer and take a step back from him, examining his appearance.
He's just about as tall as me, only slightly shorter, but he could have easily look taller from the muscles that are hidden underneath the suit he's currently wearing. Despite the lack of light up here on the rooftop, my eyes visibly shows me his entire physique as clear as day. Short dark brown hair with brown eyes and a light tan on his skin. Quite an attractive human, but not the one for me. My heart is still with Alexandru and this human might be able to help me locate him if I have him as my contractor.
"I know what a contract is! I meant to say, how can we make a contract? How does this even work? Am I supposed to sell my soul to you? How do I know you're going to uphold it? What will happen if I refuse to hand my soul over to you?" He bombards with each question making him panic which made his heart beat faster than normal.
"Calm down before you hyperventilate. Take a deep breath in and relax. I'll answer your questions, but only if you calm yourself. Alright?" I order in an even tone and took a deep inhale myself. He follows my instructions while his heart beat slowing back down to normal.
After giving him a moment to recover fully from his almost panic attack, I ask him, "Feeling better?"
"Y-yes. . . I think so. . ." He informs, nodding his head.
"Alright then. Here's what I know, we both tell each other what it is we want for the other to do. Next, I recite our contract and brand you with my pentagram to let the other demons know that you're mine." I start my explanation for forming contracts that Damian has taught me after the birth of Luka.
"I'm yours how? In what way will I be yours?" The young man questions.
"Normally, you will be mine in terms of your soul. Being branded with my pentagram will entitle me to claim your soul, but I won't accept your soul." I explain briefly.
"You don't want my soul?" He ponders and tilts his head.
Shaking my head as my response, I add, "No, I don't want your soul. What I want is something that your occupation could be of use to me."
"You want me to find something for you? Can't you do that on your own with your demonic powers?" He asks, his voice full of confusion.
"My powers are limited and I can't afford to be caught. I'll explain my end of the contract soon. For now, I want you to know that forming a contract with me won't cost you your soul. Only your skills as a journalist. I will keep our agreement for as long as the contract stands. If you wish that I provide some sort of proof of my sincerity, you are welcome to test me in any way you want after we create the contract." I state as I watch him taking all of what I said in.
Having this journalist might be able to help me gain access to some address book that could give any clues of Alexandru's whereabouts. Or even see if any immigrants coming in could be Alexandru and his family. I wonder this in case Alexandru did indeed moved since stumbling upon his castle was out of sheer luck most of the time. From what I remember about the history of vampires, their king hired some witches to conceal his castle.
That is why I want to look for him. When I return to Romania, I won't be able to find his castle again and I highly doubt he will be outside yelling at trees like last time. No, if I'm to find Alexandru, I have to use every resource at my disposal. Right now, a reporter might be a potential asset to my search.
"So, if I form a contract with you, all you want is my skills as a journalist? Not my soul?" The human male repeats cautiously once again.
Though, I don't really blame him. A vampire-demon hybrid, not even a real demon, asks to form a contract with them and they don't want their souls. In anyone's perspective, I would be seen as a very suspicious being. I don't care what they think of me, I am not going to consume a soul.
"Exactly. Now, what do you want me to help you with? Seek fame? Help your newspaper become the most well known in all of London?" I confirm.
"No, I don't want that. . . I want. . . I want you to help me find the killer responsible for these strange deaths. There's been two other women killed in Whitechapel and I think there's a connection between them. But, nobody thinks that. Could you help me with that? Help me prove that there is a connection and find out who is responsible." The young man responds with a bit of light on his brown eyes.
This is why he's special. He doesn't want to be famous or rich. He simply wants the truth and that is someone I'm willing to for a contract with. I thought proudly to myself and nod my head in understanding before speaking, "Certainly. Where would you like me to brand you?"
"Is there a specific location for that?" He asks and tilts his head to the side.
"Not exactly. I can mark you in any place you want my pentagram to be or I could choose for you. Either way, we'll both have means of communicating with each other and the power of your commands will flow to me exactly the same as in any other part of your body." I explain calmly.
"I see. . . In that case, I want the mark on my arm." He replies before he takes off his blazer and rolls up his right shirt sleeve over the back of his elbow. He points to the spot just above the back of the elbow and right on his bicep where I couldn't help but notice that it's slight defined.
"Right there then? Very well, but it will hurt. Do you have any other requests to add to the contract before I officiate the contract? Once I brand you, the contract is formed and will remain as so until both our ends of it are completed." I state and walk to his side, placing my right hand on his bicep. He definitely has great arms. . . However, I better look inside his soul for his name. . .
"Save me from dangerous situations like you did awhile ago." He adds at the same time I feel my left eye dilating and reading the name of the human floating above his heart.
"Of course, anything else?" I question and turn my attention back to him. Nodding his head, he includes me being able to arrive whenever he calls for me immediately which I would've done without it being as part of the contract.
From there, I recite the contract's vow that only I could deliver since it is my contract and not anyone's else, "I, Garrick Gastrell, solemnly swear to the best of my capabilities to ensure you, Galvin Cassian Rickman, find out who is the murderer responsible for the deaths of the women who have died and will die in the future. I will make sure that during your search, I'll save you from any sort of dangerous situation you find yourself in along with my immediate response to your call. In exchange, I ask to use your skills as a journalist for the duration of your search. Do you agree to these terms?"
"I agree to them." Galvin states confidently before he releases a short grunt in pain.
The pentagram is starting to burn into his skin and forming its' design while doing so. The pain doesn't last long as my hand loses the warmth of branding my mark and remove my hand from his arm where I clearly see my first pentagram on my contractor. Speaking of him, he stares at his new mark for a moment before looking up at me and asking, "How did you know my name?"
"I read your soul. It showed me your name," I briefly explain with a shrug.
"Demons can do that?" Galvin ponders, his tone laced with curiosity.
I find it incredibly interesting how curious this human being is about my background as a demon. Granted, he never encountered a demon before me, but I was sure he heard something about my kind. The whole bit of contracts for souls at the least should've been known. They did have a book that talked about the first demon, didn't they?
"Yes, demons can do that. We possess that ability of soul reading since it is yours and thus, has your name." I respond and dart my eyes in search of a stairway.
"Amazing. . . Er, what do we do now?" Galvin ponders while I look over the edge and notice that there weren't any safe passage to descend from the roof.
"Now, you decide where we go from here." I answer plainly, releasing a small sigh. I'm going to have to jump down. . . Let's hope he's not afraid of heights. . .
"Could you take me to see the body?" Galvin requests eagerly that brought a little smile on my lips.
"Certainly, but I must warn you that we'll have to jump." I point out since I don't trust the stairwells at all.
"Jump? As in, we jump off from this high rooftop? You're mad!" Galvin declares while fear starts to creep up on his face.
"You'll be fine. No harm will come to you, I assure you. I won't let you die now." I insure calmly and quickly lift him up into my arms.
"Wh-what the bloody hell are you doing?! Put me- where are you. . . No, stop! Don't you dare ju- Umph!" Galvin screams before I jumped off the edge of the rooftop and covered his mouth so he wouldn't draw any attention to us.
The jump wasn't exactly as high as he made it out to be since Alexandru's castle was much higher than this building. It took me a few seconds to land silently to the dirt ground of someone's backyard where a fence divides us and the people looking at the body. This was as close as I could get for Galvin to see the body before setting him on his feet, not once removing my hand from his mouth.
I lean my lips towards his ear and whisper, "I'm going to remove my hand now. Don't scream or else you'll draw attention to us. Alright?"
Galvin nods his head and I slowly remove my hand from him. Sure enough, he didn't scream just as I asked him to. However, he did begin to stagger a few steps from me until he plops himself to the ground to sit. No doubt to take a moment or two to collect himself and overcome the shock I have inflicted on him.
After a few minutes, Galvin finally spoke. "Warn me next time you're going to pull another stunt like that. . ."
"I did warn you, but I admit that I should have been more specific in what was thinking. I'll remember that for the next time. But, why did you want to see the body?" I question despite the fact that a fence is blocking his view of it.
Before Galvin could answer me, one of the beat cops that I notice earlier shouted that a doctor has arrived. Galvin scurries to my side and places a hand my mouth to silence me. I was about to pull his hand off of me when he whispers quickly, "Stay quiet! I have to hear this!"
He takes his hand off of me and leans his head towards the fence where we hear a man talking about the body. "Small amount of blood. . . About enough to fill two large wine glasses, or half a pint at the most."
Galvin rummages through his jacket until he found a small notepad with a pencil and scribbles some notes that is quite possibly what the doctor had just said. Soon, he runs out of room and continues on the next page while the doctor resumes his observations out loud for all to hear. Apparently, there is doubts that the body was killed where it was found since from her wounds, death would have been instantaneous.
Nevertheless, it seemed to be enough proof for Galvin. We stayed behind the fence until the area was cleared and I jumped over the fence with Galvin along. There was a little pool of blood by the fence that I presumed the corpse was laying and I would be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to drink from there. But, I restrained the urge to do so and rather focused my attention on Galvin.
"Is that all you need?" I ask, watching Galvin observing the spot the body was discovered.
"For the time being, yes. Why? Are you coming home with me?" Galvin questions as he rises up from his crouch position.
"No. Well, not unless you want me to." I reply while I silently hope that he doesn't need me right now. Only because I still have to tell my parents about the contract I formed and also see if the higher level spells do work for me since I haven't tested them yet.
"I don't think so. All I'm going to do back home is write what I heard today." Galvin states while he puts away his notepad into his jacket.
"Very well, I'll be heading back home then. I'll see you soon, Galvin." I declare, but I didn't take a single step when I felt someone stopping me.
"Wait a second! Where should we meet up again?" Galvin asks, his confusion and a bit of paranoia noticed in his voice.
"Anywhere you want me to." I respond, though it did nothing to calm him.
"Yes, but how? What if I can't meet with you or I need you now? Like today when I was close to dying? How will you know that I'm in danger? How do I-" Galvin rambles until I cut him off in mid sentence.
"Galvin, breathe! My pentagram that you have branded on your arm allows you complete access for communications. All you have to do is call my name and I'll be right beside you." I interrupt as soothing as I could, not wanting him to have a panic attack over a trifle issue.
"Are you certain?" Galvin questions that nearly brought a halt to my heart.
How do I answer that? Lie about this being my first ever contract or tell him that it's protocol? I'm not even sure that what I told him about contracts will work with me. Since I'm only half demon, does this mean that I might not have all the abilities that comes with creating contracts? Could I be giving him false hope?
No, I can't think this. Even if some or most of my demonic powers are not at my disposal, I'll help him in any way I can. With this in mind, I was about to reassure him that everything I have said will work when someone else beat me to it. Someone who I thought in the back of my mind to not find me.
Damian Erebus, as always, comes at the most inconvenient times and replies for me with his usual hostile attitude, "Of course, he's not. He's still a novice at being a demon. I, on the other hand, am a demon and that technique does work. But, I would love to see Garrick doing it. Since nothing's more special than a demon being summoned by his first contractor."
*Nickole's Note*
Hey, guys! I'm back with an all new chapter, and a long one too! You're welcome! I was actually pretty excited to write this scene so that I could explain my version of demons and contracts in the story. Let's get to some of the Fun Facts, ok? Good!
1. The picture above is of Lily Gastrell, Garrick's youngest and most adorable sister. Unfortunately, I don't know who the model is portraying her. But, isn't she so cute?!
2. What the doctor said in this chapter is true! I just copy and pasted it from Wikipedia. The doctor who said this was Dr. Henry Llewellyn and he was also briefly mentioned in "Chapter 34: Underlying Fear" of Fated to Be.
3. The setting that Garrick and Galvin were when they were listening to the doctor was real. I'll explain everything once the "big reveal" appears.
And that's all! Don't worry about how I completely forgot to post a pic of Galvin. His pic will be up in the next chapter. As always, I hope you guys liked the chapter and I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can. If you guys have any questions about when I'll update the next chapter or why I'm taking so long, please check out my activity page for more information. Until then, I'll see you guys next time! Enjoy~