Case File: The Tainted Nature.

12.35 A.M

Monday

The night air was chilling against Layla’s skin as they got closer to the coast. She was shivering and rubbing her hands together for warmth. The chilling air didn’t bother Azy due to his nature, but he took off his blazer and rested on her back when he noticed his partner was cold.

It was unexpected and unwelcome, she took off the blazer and gave it back to him. “I appreciate the gesture but no. I can handle the cold.”

Azy shrugged before he donned the blazer. “I parked the car a little closer in case something happened. Hmm…” He looked at the card Sabuk gave him. “The warehouse over there.”

A shabby warehouse with rusted aluminum walls and a few visible large holes in the roof. A chain-link fence surrounded the perimeter while the ground was littered with old shipping containers. A few pickup trucks can be seen parked at the entrance of the warehouse.

“What happened to you and that woman earlier? Did things not work out?”

“Oh, you mean Jessie? She had another important thing going on.” That was a lie. Azy could easily take her down, but he just doesn’t want to risk his car in the process.

“I seriously thought you two were going to hit it off.”

“I can’t, not during work hours.”

“How noble of you. You don’t need to pretend with me. I know you already hit off with the majority of the single ladies back in the precinct. They even warned me about you.”

“Warn you of me? Well, I’ll take that as a compliment, but I want you to know that I don’t push myself on a woman who says no, and also most of the time, my hook-up is casual, nothing serious.”

“Casual for you, maybe, but, I don’t think it goes the same way for a few of them.”

That statement did bother Azy a little. Perhaps it hit harder than he thought because Valentina’s face immediately popped into his head after hearing it. “You’re right. As much as I wanted it to be casual, I can't control people’s hearts.”

“We’re here.” Layla crouched down near the fence.

Azy crouched beside her and glanced around the warehouse’s ground. About three people were guarding the front while another three guarded the back. All six of them were lightly armed, had no automatic firearms, and the heaviest firepower in their arsenals were the shotguns.

Layla checked the fence for the closest opening but found none. With no way in, she started to climb the fence with a laborious expression. Out of nowhere, Layla caught a glimpse of Azy above her before he landed on the other side of the fence with ease. She rolled her eyes as she vaulted over the fence and landed with her feet.

“That wasn’t hard.” A mischievous grin plastered on Azy’s face.

“Yeah, at least for you.”

“One more thing.” Azy slid his fingers through the gaps of the fence and tore open a new opening.

“You do know that you could have done that before I started climbing.”

“Don’t blame me. You’re the one who started climbing.”

“Well, you could have stopped me.”

“Stop all that hard work? Yeah, right. Good job by the way.”

Layla kept herself hunch before sneaking through the shipping containers. Azy followed behind while keeping his senses on high alert.

His ear caught a faint growl coming from the container next to him. He placed his hand on Layla’s shoulder, stopping her, then gestured for her to follow him. Azy made his way to the front of the container and placed his palm against the metal. With his hand, he felt the numerous creatures inside through the vibration alone.

He glanced at the lock, with a single pull, he tore it apart and opened the door. Inside the container revealed several rows of medium-sized cages bolted against the soundproof walls. Azy squatted near the cage closest to him. An obsidian hound with red beady eyes stepped out from the darkness. It glared and growled at Azy’s presence.

“They don't look like a normal dog,” commented Layla as she peeked inside the cage.

“They’re not. These are hellhounds. Several of them. It’s not rare, but I haven't seen this many since the war.”

“Wonder what they are doing with them.”

“Let’s find out.” Azy closed the container’s door and headed toward the warehouse.

Arriving at the warehouse’s wall, Azy dug his finger through the thick aluminum and pulled it open as quietly as possible. Layla took out her handgun and kept a lookout for the guards. With enough opening, Azy slid himself through the slit and was immediately bombarded with a strong stench. Even Layla almost vomited upon entry.

“What is that smell?” Layla pinched her nose.

“Halflings, dwarf, lycans, there are so many here, I couldn't list them all.”

“What do you mean, I can’t see anything.”

Azy made his way to a switch and flipped it which caused the lights to turn on. Layla’s jaw dropped upon seeing the disgusting sight. All species in here including humans were chained to the walls and left in their filth. Their conditions were blasphemy, sunken cheeks, limbs bare to the bone, and infections left to spread with no sign of treatment or care. The infection was so bad that some of them can’t even open their eyes.

Layla couldn’t help herself, she vomited near the wall. She wiped her lips with the back of her hands. “What the hell is going on here?”

“Greed. Pure greed,” answered Azy as he stood there, undisturbed by the sight.

“Did you know about this?”

“I don’t, but I have seen this kind of sight before, throughout the ages. This kind of thing always happens when greed is left unchecked.”

“We should help them.”

“We need to move on and catch the leader before he gets away. Besides, there’s nothing we can do about them.”

“How could you say that? We can still help them escape.” Layla moved her gaze to Azy and lost the man he was with. The one who wore her partner’s face was a cold and uncaring being who meant what he said earlier.

“Look at them, most won’t make it. We would be wasting our time.”

“Don’t you care?”

“Caring won’t help them. We can’t save them all.” Azy glanced around at the sight. He has seen enough of this kind of sight to know that no matter what he did, this kind of immoral scene will always happen. “Let’s go.”

“Azriel, I won’t leave them.”

The name ‘Azriel’ stirred the crowd in the room. Murmurs began to circulate among them. They shambled, crawled, and dragged themselves toward Azy. Then, they offered up both hands at him with their faces pressed against the dirty floor. Trembling and shaking, these pathetic poses were their last act of hope.

“White hair. Red eyes. The Crimson Lord…”

“Crimson Lord… we offer our life to you.”

“We beg of you…”

Layla looked at the kneeled crowd gathered around the vampire. “What are they doing?”

Azy crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. The expression he wore was annoyance. “They're muttering nonsense. Come on, we should move.”

“Please Crimson Lord. We beg of you. Please take our last sin.” An old halfling with no legs was begging to him with cheek drenched in tears.

“The man you seek is not here.” Azy turned to face the door and placed his hand on the handle to open it, but stopped when he recognized a familiar scent. Azy mind started to turn as he dissected the scent. The vampire was confused, the creature with this scent should have been gone.

He turned toward the corner of the room. It was no mistake, the scent could only belong to her. Azy navigated the kneeled crowd until he arrived at a small makeshift pond. Calling it a pond was like complimenting it, the dirty water barely reached the top half of his shoe. Laying on it was a woman with a fish bottom half, a mermaid.

In the books, they often depicted them as a creature with incredible beauty that could captivate a sailor with one look, but the one who laid in front of him was far from it. She looked like a shriveled rotten fish and smelled like one. Her once lush brunette locks were nothing more than a few strands on her bald head, her beautiful dark eyes filled with crusts that forced one of them to shut, while her soft lips were cracked and slightly torn beyond repair.

In her arms was something wrapped in a dirty fabric, it got a foul stench to it similar to a mix of rotten egg and putrid fish.

Azy took a knee beside her. He spoke to her in a language only known to a few people, it sounded archaic. With her strength left, he passed the item she was holding to Azy. He took it as gently as he could. A peak of what was hidden under the rags was something that thoroughly changed the aura around the vampire into a dark and frightening mood. He gently wrapped the item and leaned closer to whisper something to the mermaid.

The mermaid nodded her head slightly, then the last tear she ever shed ran down her cheek. Azy placed his hand on her forehead and used the compulsion on her. The mermaid slowly fell asleep for the last time in her life.

“I shall bear your sin.” Azy placed the wrapped item back into her grasp, then stood back again.

“What happened to her?”

“She had been through hell, so I gave her eternal sleep.”

“Did you kill her?”

“It’s the only mercy I could give her. You’re right, Layla, we should save them.” One by one, Azy tore the chains that held the crowd, setting each one of them free. “For those who have the strength, carry those who can’t move. Layla, you need to lead them outside and call for backup.”

“What about you?”

“I will keep the ones who are left behind safe.”

Layla nodded, then she led the crowd through the hole and toward the street. Azy was left alone with the remaining prisoners who couldn't move. He looked at them and glanced around the room until his gaze met with the mermaid. He reached into his pocket and took out a single brass knuckle, he wore it on his left hand for protection, not that he intended to use it.

Azy walked out of the room and into the warehouse. He broke the handle behind him, so no one could use it. He glanced from left to right and saw a man smoking near a crate. The man was unaware of Azy’s presence. He casually walked toward the man.

Arriving at his side, Azy places one hand on the man’s belly while another against the man’s forehead. The man suddenly panicked, but before he could say anything, Azy pushed both hands. With the man’s waist against the crate, his entire torso bent backward in an abnormal way that broke his back. Azy didn't stop until he could fold the man into two.

He left the folded man and moved toward the next. This time two guards, a woman, and a man. They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation until suddenly the man’s head exploded into tiny pieces. A few of it splattered onto the woman’s face and mouth. Azy bare and blood-soaked knuckle replaced the man’s head.

The woman stumbled back and fell to her back. A terrified and confused look was carved onto her face, she pulled her handgun out when he saw the woman with a bloody fist. Even before she could aim, Azy broke her forearm with a single hand and forced her to let go.

She screamed in pain and fear, then wanted to run away, but Azy wasn’t going to give her the mercy she wanted. He stomped on her ankles into a mushed pancake and grabbed her by the hair.

He dragged the screaming woman into the middle of the warehouse. With her scream, she attracted all the residents of the building toward him.

“Who the fuck are you?” shouted the man.

“Malinda, you piece of shit!” One of them charged toward him with a metal bat.

Azy flung the woman toward the breaker with enough force to destroy it and plunged the interior into darkness. Most of them that can’t see in the dark stumbled around while those who do have such as the lycans charged at him with full transformation.

A wolf and a hyena came toward Azy in different directions. The wolf was fast, he managed to claw Azy’s chest, but before he could do it again, Azy grabbed it by the neck and tore his wolf’s head along with his spine out of his body. He tossed it aside and searched for the other one.

Azy heard the metal pang coming from above, the hyena dropped from above. He grabbed both of her claws and tore them out from her body. She screamed in pain and writhed on the floor, but before she could cuss, Azy stomped his leg through her hyena’s head.

The rest of them were easy, basically tearing apart gummy worms. Until the lights suddenly turned back on again. A few of those left were a man who looked like the leader, a terrified Lycan who didn't join the attack earlier, and a large cambion.

“What in the hell?” muttered the leader as he looked around the bloody sight. The majority of his men were either blood splatters against the concrete or Mr. Potato with missing limbs.

The lycan went insane and started running toward the exit. No one could blame him after what he saw.

Azy sighed and grabbed a broom, her broker the top part, then flung it with enough force to impale the lycan through the chest.

“Get him!” The leader ordered the cambion.

Azy admitted that their species was tough to handle because of their strength. Azy met the punch with his own and he was sent flying. He crashed through the aluminum wall with a broken arm. The cambion held his wrist with a painful grimace. Apparently, Azy had the strength to break his fingers.

“Boss, I don’t think I can win this…” muttered the cambion.

“Are you nuts? You just sent him flying.”

“Boss, he’s not--”

Azy came charging through the wall and crates at superhuman speed. The cambion raised both arms to protect himself. It wasn’t enough, the cambion’s head was spun twice before he dropped to the floor. Azy had to use his brass knuckle.

The only one left was the leader. His jaw was trembling as he dropped to his butt when Azy made it toward him. The leader took out a handgun and fired all rounds into him until a single shot was left. It didn’t even bother the vampire except carving numerous holes throughout his body.

Azy squatted in front of the shaking man. His nerves popped while his broken arm was restored. Judging the stench coming from the man, he definitely had pissed himself.

“Last shot. Make it count, will you?” Azy pressed his forehead against the end of the gun barrel.

He screamed and pressed the trigger. Azy head’s recoil back as the bullet went through it. There’s a hole in Azy’s head, and it did nothing. The vampire smiled and placed his hands on the side of the man’s head.

“Please don’t kill me. I’ll tell you everything. I swear. We’re just doing business here.” The man felt the pressure against the side of his forehead. “Octavia Rose hired us!”

The name stopped Azy. The man noticed it.

“She hired us. She wanted the hellhounds. A lot of them. We don’t know what for. Anything you want to know, I can tell you.”

“To be honest, I don’t really care.” Azy squeezed the man’s head like a lemon. His fountain of blood rained onto him. It tasted horrible.

“A-Azy?” muttered Layla with her handgun lowered, and her face froze in shock.

Azy slowly turned his face to meet her with an earnest smile. “Do you want to get something to drink? We deserved to celebrate after a job well done.”

She immediately aimed her handgun at him. “Don’t move!”

“Layla…?” Azy’s smile slowly dissolved when he realized that she was terrified of him. He forgot that humans tend to… Azy started to chuckle as he stood up again. “Mortals... Your kind always overreacts.”

“Overreact? You massacred all these people.”

“They were bad people. Anyway, I need a shower.” Azy headed toward the exit behind Layla.

“I said don't move.” Her gun still pointed at Azy.

“What are you going to do? Shoot me?”

“If I have to.”

“Fine, we do it your way.” Azy dropped to his knees with both hands raised.

Layla grabbed the cuff from her back pocket. She was shaking when she tried to put it on Azy’s wrist. The vampire let out a small laugh before he was escorted out of the warehouse and toward his car. Layla intends to take him in by any means necessary.