A Case Between Vampires

Recluse x Bloody Garment

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TW: Murder, blood, slight gore

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Ha ha ha ha, hello bitches it's Christmas so have my gift fic for the Secret Santa Event, which is why this oneshot is hella long *spits blood*

Tbh this fic kinda made me want to write longer stuff from now on idk, will see if I have the faith lmfao

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"No matter who you are, I will love you forever..."

.

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There wasn't a day Eli Clark could fully rest. Between chasing after compulsive thieves who would steal a maiden's purse and the occasional murder scenes he was invited to, he was forced to be constantly on the go to support himself, the bills weren't going to be paid on their own after all.

It was far from being a normal, quiet life but it suited him and he had made a name for himself in the business by dint of wear and tear. The famous Eli Clark was nicknamed Recluse for the fact that he always solved his cases during the night when most of the population was going to bed, as none noticed his presence.

This was not an embellished rumor, but the reason behind such behavior was actually much more trivial than the newspapers let on. That was not the point, however, and the visibly young man was rudely snapped out of his regular five-minute micro-nap by the ringing of his office phone. A grunt escaped him and his hand clapped repeatedly at various places on the table before finding the cause of his discomfort.

"Oletus Private Detective Agency, Eli Clark speaking, how may I help you?"

That same catchphrase he'd repeated a tireless number of times had probably never sounded as tired and exasperated as it did today.

"Still in such a good mood I see, Clark." a familiar deep voice replied.

Eli clicked his tongue when he recognized the caller and sat up straight for a moment before dropping into the back of his seat, showing that he didn't feel like giving a damn about someone who wasn't a client.

"What do you want, Inference?"

"...And friendly. Anyway, you know the Golden Rose Hotel, right?"

Golden Rose, Golden Rose...

The detective raised an eyebrow, then quickly took his notebook and a pen in his hands and wedged the phone between his ear and shoulder.

"Isn't it that rich place they favor?"

"Indeed, the Bloody Garment organization is celebrating its five hundredth anniversary there and their master has requested your presence."

"Me? Why? I've never met him."

"I have no idea. Perhaps your reputation is preceding you?"

He heard a sarcastic laugh on the other end of the line that annoyed him a little. There was something odd about this business. Why require a detective to attend? But then, it was him they were talking about and he wasn't sure what to expect from these upper class people, the logic of their reasoning seemed to be from another world.

"What's the pay?" Inference announced a number with enough zeros to live off the good life for a few decades. "Heh heh... Alright, I'll be there."

The call of money the one he preferred, though it wasn't really a request he had the right to refuse because of the employer's influence, he hung up once the conversation was over so he could get ready.

The Golden Rose Hotel was a few hours away on the outskirts of town and the organization was planning to stay there for ten days so he had a number of things to pack. Clark was still a little suspicious but on one hand, he doubted anything would happen so he could just think of this job as a paid vacation from these rich nobles who were not short on cash. The hotel was located in a remote area of the woods so Recluse had no choice but to take his own car. The road was winding but as quiet as death. After two or three hours, he finally saw the crimson front of the building with its name engraved in huge golden letters.

He hissed at such extravagance, more used to the dark and ill-famed alley where his agency was located. The inside didn't disappoint either, a huge crystal chandelier adorned the ceiling as high as three floors, carved similarly to those big churches he had seen in pictures before, he avoided entering most of the time.

He walked a little further down the hall and noticed a man with a denim cap accompanied by a young blonde woman and another man with a mask, dressed in the same hues as the hotel.

"Clark, there you are at last. Remember Truth?"

The blue-eyed blonde flashed him a toothy grin, her fangs protruding slightly from under her upper lip as she did so.

"It's been a long time, Eli!"

"It has, a century or two I think? You're often on the move so I don't really get to see you." he replied with a smile.

"And this is..."

"Let me guess, the owner of the hotel?"

"You know me?" asked the auburn-haired man.

"Your clothes stick a little too much to the scenery, so much it' s blinding and if I'm not mistaken, this hotel was once a theater, right? I saw an article that one of the former actors rebuilt the building after it caught fire, disfiguring them in the incident. That's why you wear a mask, correct?"

The three looked at the detective with wide eyes until the owner interrupted the silence with a hearty laugh.

"Ha ha ha! You are absolutely right, Mr. Detective! My name is Ronald of Ness but just call me Ronald. It's an honor to have the famous Recluse staying in my hotel!"

"I briefly told him about you." added Inference.

"You overestimate me..." he said a little embarrassed.

They exchanged a few more greetings and Ronald gave him his room key afterwards. It was quite big and made of gold plating, a bit like those keys opening on mysterious places in fairy tales. His room was on the fifth floor, room five hundred and eleven, the endless corridor gave him a little trouble to find it but he managed after a while.

He noticed the door of another room next to his and a man standing in front of it. His hair was blond like honey and his eyes were blood red, which sent a shiver down his spine. His face was half hidden by a mask so all his attention was on his almost hypnotic eyes, if not for the immunity he had developed due to the nature of his work, so that possible suspects would not influence his judgment.

Eli realized that he had probably spent a little too long watching the man when the latter frowned and he would better say something to avoid looking like a psychopath.

"Hello? You're with the organization I presume? My name is Eli Clark."

He held out his hand but the blonde ignored it.

"Do you often introduce yourself to the first person you meet...?"

Eli stowed his hand at his side and rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm sorry, we will be meeting often during these ten days so I thought it was appropriate. I apologize if I made you uncomfortable."

"I see..." The man's expression relaxed at these words and he nodded. "Aesop Carl, you're that detective everyone's talking about, right?"

So he already knew his identity.

"I do. Maybe you'd make a better detective if you managed to deduce that so easily." he joked.

"I don't deserve any credit, the organization booked the entire hotel and aside from the staff, the other outside guests only include you and that inspector with his assistant. Looks like this stay is promising to be more interesting than expected..."

Strange, it wasn't surprising that Ronald knew about certain things given that he owned the place and the master of the organization probably told him but how did Aesop know who they were? There were only a few plausible explanations, either he was the head of the group or at least someone with a position important enough to be informed, or the organization just didn't care about making it public and maybe his presence was just some kind of entertainment.

His eyes crinkled mischievously like a child who had just found a new toy. Aesop entered his room after a short curtsy so Eli did the same, that was his original purpose after all. He was greeted by a luxurious suite worthy of a castle. A four-poster bed, a dressing table with a mirror and a bathtub with gold legs... Each piece of furniture was probably worth a year's salary... Should he convert to acting?

He had often been complimented on his appearance so the idea was not so far-fetched. However, he liked his career, the money did not make the happiness as they say, not entirely at least.

He put down his suitcase by the bed and sat down on the black leather armchair then looked at his watch, almost ten o'clock at night. He still had a little time left. He had been told that a banquet would be held to open the ball, a welcoming ceremony of sorts.

He was wearing his beige trenchcoat, which he wore almost all the time, and a simple white shirt and black pants. Nevertheless, knowing the kind of people he was going to meet, a makeover was necessary. Fortunately, he had planned ahead. He got up to take his suitcase and opened it on the table before taking out a tailcoat with a grey jacket and a yellow bow tie to complete the look.

A twisted, almost disgusted smile played on his lips as he slipped the outfit on in the bathroom. It really wasn't his style and he felt like he was suffocating in it. The time passed more quickly than expected and he was going to be late so he shaved quickly and left his room. He encountered Aesop again in the hallway, it seemed that the young man had also changed, instead of his red suit from earlier, he had put on a black long coat and jacket, a shaped topaz decorating his collar and highlighting his golden hair.

Eli had to admit that Aesop exceeded the standards of beauty. Surprisingly, the man wasn't wearing a mask this time, allowing the dark-haired man to see his thin pink lips.

"It looks good on you."

"Oh- Uh, thanks, you too." he replied nervously.

"Why don't you walk me to the reception room since you're here?" The detective's eyes widened, this honeyed behavior from the red-eyed man was rather shocking in contrast to his icy demeanor from earlier. Was this really the same person? "What are you waiting for?"

"W-with pleasure."

Arms intertwined, the two men made their way to the elevator to go downstairs, it was coming from a floor above so it took a few seconds before it showed up. The doors opened, revealing a couple with whom they would have to share the enclosed space for a while. A woman and a man, both of them naturally possessing silver hair and pupils. Traces of lipstick were slightly protruding from the collar of the latter, in addition to that he and his partner wore matching rings so it was not a challenge for the detective to deduce their relationship.

The marks were hardly invisible but the woman did not seem to care and simply sketched a wide smile to the blond and his escort as they entered the elevator too.

"I didn't think I'd see you tonight, Carl." she said.

Eli felt Aesop's hand shudder weakly but pretended not to.

"Missing an event hosted by the master himself is the same as writing your will."

Eli noted this information again in a corner of his mind. So the master was still someone else he hadn't met. Then a chuckle came from his left and he felt the weight of a predatory gaze upon him.

"And who is that? He's definitely not one of us." the young woman asked with piqued interest.

"You can ask him yourself."

Eli widened his eyes, he hadn't expected to see that icy side of Aesop come out again at this moment. However, thinking about it, that was most likely his usual temper. Although, there was still a sharper tone to his words than when they were conversing together.

"As kind as ever." the woman replied.

If that wasn't déjà vu.

At last, the detective didn't feel like putting up with the tension any longer and turned to the lady whilst sketching a smile, his hand resting on his chest as a sign of politeness.

"My name is Eli Clark, I have asked this young man here to be allowed to spare me his company for this evening."

"Oh, what a gentleman!" she mused, "I'm Ada Mesmer and this is my husband, Emil." the man next to her nodded, a smile on his face, "For a surprise... I thought this man was only thinking of his duty, but it seems I was mistaken."

Eli raised an eyebrow but the elevator had finally reached the first floor, pressing the discussion to its conclusion.

"Oh."

"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you, Clark. I hope to have the chance to see you again during this stay."

"Likewise..."

So Ada and Emil left first, Eli and Aesop still behind in front of the elevator.

"Why did you lie?" the blond asked.

"Mhm? I had a hunch it was the right thing to do or was I out of line?"

"...No."

The detective noticed a smirk from the man but before he could add anything, Aesop was already leading him down the hall.

The first thing that struck Eli as he arrived was the dazzling lighting. Everything was so luxurious and classy that he didn't know which way to turn.

"Is this the first time you've attended this kind of reception?"

"No but... Let's just say it's never been this grand before..."

"Really? This level of pomp and circumstance is pretty mundane to be honest." replied Aesop as he grabbed two glasses of champagne, one for himself and one for Eli. "Let's get closer, the master should be making his appearance any minute."

"Can' we stay there?"

"I have something to discuss with him."

"Oh, I see."

The dark-haired man sipped his cup as the blond wove their way through the crowd. For an event that only involved the major figures of the organization, there were quite a few people present. He recognized Ada and Emil with a young woman in a black suit who looked quite jolly, if one could really call her that as the red of drunkenness covered her whole face.

In another corner of the room were Inference and Truth as well. The inspector was talking with the owner of the hotel so he didn't see him but his assistant wasn't too interested in their conversation, which allowed her to wave to the detective from the other end. 

In another corner of the room were Inference and Truth as well. The inspector was talking with the owner of the hotel so he didn't see him but his assistant wasn't too interested in their conversation, which allowed her to wave to the detective from the other end.

He didn't know the rest, but he managed to count four others, including one who looked like he was part of the hotel staff.

Finally, Eli and Aesop arrived at the front of the stage, right at the best seats, and immediately more people appeared from backstage. As they entered, a strong pulse constricted his heart violently like a monk ringing a gong or a church steeple that could be heard throughout the village. The pressure in the air was so strong that he felt like an ant in front of whoever this oppressive feeling might be coming from.

"It's always like this at first, it's just a warning to behave." the blond man whispered in his ear.

Hell, surely there were other ways than literally taking his breath away!

"Thank you for traveling all the way here everyone, as usual, the master will now say a few words."

A long haired man wearing a red coat stepped aside to make room for the man in the background, Eli was sure of it now, that energy came from none other than this person. His outfit was more dashing and refined than the others, the hat on his head adding inches to his stature and the mask covering half of his face with his right eye giving off an almost threatening glare despite the angelic smile he was flashing.

No one dared to utter a word. It was as if they were caught in a collective hallucination that deprived them of their freedom. The master was offered a glass of a red liquid and the smell that reached the nostrils of the detective tickled him immediately like a sting that awakened his primary instincts.

Blood.

The man raised his cup in the air to toast before emptying the container in one gulp.

"The master hopes you enjoy your stay, drink and feast as much as you like," spoke a woman with a fur and sequin coat over her arms, who also accompanied the master with the first man.

The three individuals stepped down from the stage after this very brief intervention, the chatter and laughter quickly bustling again. However, the atmosphere seemed to have changed. The staff was no longer the same and the air was now filled with a sweet scent that wafted through the room, cups filled with the same scarlet liquid from earlier distributed to guests.

Never would Eli have imagined seeing so many of them gathered in one place.

Vampires.

Nowadays, the only trace of them left were works of fiction, most of which showed impossible romances with another race or individuals who found it amusing to impersonate them, though the effort was in vain. What was known about them was a web of lies produced by the fantasies of the human mind and their real faculties were much more grandiose than they could imagine.

These so-called weaknesses to the sun and garlic were only nonsense and their silhouette not being reflected on a mirror was due to the components in it, times had changed with the development of industrialization and this also had an impact on their manufacture so the problem of appearing invisible was no more.

Their qualities were numerous, they were able to transform themselves into various animals or even inanimate things such as fog and it went without saying that their physical capacities exceeded the understanding.

Yet, this did not mean that they were all-powerful; holy water and other tools produced by the church had a certain effect on them because of their distant ties to demons. This very lineage gave them the ability to control the minds of their victims to convince them to submit and allow them to relish their blood, erasing the memory of the subject being also possible in certain cases.

Today, these vampires were no longer at the level of their former greatness. Many of them had mated with humans, the vampire blood flowing through their veins becoming weaker and weaker over the centuries until they were reduced to mere human-like beings living as long as an eternity. They still fed on blood but their bodies had adapted to normal food, which weakened their demonic nature even more.

Eli, Inference, Truth, and Ronald were all part of this case and this was visible due to the fact that a pureblood vampire necessarily possessed golden hair and pupils or between shades of silver and white. The fact that Truth had one of these traits made her a second generation vampire, which was the slimmest of all because few cases managed to keep a balance between vampire and human blood, making her a bit more robust than her friends.

Knowing this, the image of the members of the Bloody Garment organization took on its full meaning. A group of individuals made up of purebloods only and governed by very strict rules. It was not an institution known to the human world but if you were a vampire, it wasn't possible to ignore its existence because they were the ones who ruled their netherworld. Eli repeated this to himself as he glanced discreetly at Aesop, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up as his golden hair and eyes reminded him of the prominent figure at his side. It was no different than walking with a celebrity. 

"Let's go."

The two men walked towards the corner where the master of the organization had gone with his two henchmen, what seemed to be a private table for the latter, the vampires in his company attending and entertaining him. When Eli approached with Aesop, the one with long white hair glared at them, visibly displeased with their presence, the blonde woman next to him showing a similar expression although it was already less conspicuous since she hid it with her fan.

"What is your business here?" the vampire asked coldly.

"I have some things to say to the master."

"How presumptuous-"

"Joseph." interrupted the woman.

The vampire named Joseph turned to the latter who was peering in the direction of the master, realizing that the former had just raised his hand to tell him to shut up. He grunted weakly but carried out the orders nonetheless and took a step back. A slight smile played on Aesop's lips at this victory and he stepped forward to offer a curtsy.

"This humble servant who has the honor of sharing the blood that flows from yours presents his greetings to the Embrace."

Woah... This organization was more like a cult than anything else if they were even forced to do such things every time. He didn't have to do the same, did he?

You're always so courteous, Aesop.

"It's the least I can do." the blond replied.

Eli widened his eyes, what was that-? He thought he heard Embrace's voice, but his lips hadn't moved an inch. Was this one of those strange abilities that some purebloods had that he heard about? The vampire master stared at him and smiled as if to say that the answer to his question was already in front of him.

You must be Detective Recluse, right?

"Um, yes... I wish you a good evening as well, uh..."

There's no need to be so nervous, you can be comfortable with me.

"Thank you, your grace..."

Embrace pretended to laugh at his embarrassment but Eli was pretty sure he heard Joseph click his tongue at the same time. Truly, this one had a grudge against everyone except his master. A true tame dog, but he would refrain from making that comment for obvious reasons. 

"Master, could we hear the reason behind our presence here?" asked Aesop.

'Our'? He thought the blond had come here because he was a prominent member of the organization like all the others, for proof Ada and Emil didn't seem surprised by his attendance except for the fact that he had come out of his room, but the way he had phrased that sentence suggested that the circumstances were more complicated than they appeared.

At these words, Embrace's smile disappeared and he straightened up a bit in his seat before crossing his legs and placing his interlaced hands on his knee.

The reason I called you here is because... Something's going to happen.

"You say it's going to happen? You mean, in the future?" queried Eli.

That's right. I can't give you any more details than I know, but it's certain that something tragic will happen in the very near future, during this stay itself.

"So you want us to deal with it when that incident happens?" added Aesop.

Please.

"Master-! You don't have to demean yourself in front of them!" snapped Joseph.

Michiko.

The woman let out a sigh before forcibly taking Joseph elsewhere while Embrace spoke with the two men, his complaints could still be heard a few feet away but peace eventually returned.

Forgive him. At any rate, back on topic, you are the only ones I can trust with this task.

"Why are you so trusting?" inquired Aesop.

I know you'll both have an impartial judgment. Then... Wouldn't two detectives who prefer to work alone make a perfect pair?

The vampire smiled broadly, leaving Eli and Aesop frustrated in many ways. So Aesop was also a detective... Surprising, but not that much at the same time.

"I see. I guess I have no choice in the matter. I'll let you know later if we discover anything."

I hope you both manage to work together.

Aesop bowed one last time and then stepped aside as he got what he wanted. Eli was still a bit puzzled and had some things to ask the vampire but the latter was a step ahead of him.

"Can we talk for a moment, Mr. Detective?"

Eli raised an eyebrow but agreed and they changed to a quieter location in the hallway they had walked through before entering the lobby. Everyone was busy socializing so they wouldn't be disturbed.

"What did you want to tell me?"

"Wasn't it more like you had something to get off your chest?"

"...True."

"I'm all ears."

"Well, why did you hide the fact that you're a detective?"

The blond man glanced around to make sure no one was around before answering.

"Simply because no one knows, except for the master and his attendants of course. The others see me as someone forced to follow suit so they don't care about me most of the time but it's best if they let their guard down."

"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer, I guess...?"

"You could put it that way."

"Sounds complicated to me."

"Maybe. But you won't mind working with me I hope?"

"Are you serious?"

"Come on, I'm sure you'll need someone to act as a go-between, or do you really think those vampires who only worship their pure blood would agree to cooperate with you without the slightest hassle?"

"That's..."

"I'm one of them so they'll probably open their mouths more easily."

Eli grunted in exasperation at the situation. He had worked with Inference and Truth on a few cases in the past but their interactions were limited to faxing each other information they had obtained rather than really collaborating so he wasn't really sure what he should do with Aesop's company. Especially since the man seemed to have a knack for leading him around by the flick of his finger...

Nevertheless, the pureblood was right.

"I understand. However, your help will only be sought if needed, in other words, I command."

"Those terms are fine with me."

"Good. Also... Could you please stop calling me Mr. Detective...?"

"Do you mind?" the blond asked, tilting his head.

"It's a little... I'd rather we were more comfortable with each other if we're going to be partners."

"Oh... In that case, Eli?" Aesop sketched a faint smile and Eli couldn't help but blush at his words. "Since that seems to be settled, I'll allow myself to return to my room."

"A-Aren't you going to stay?"

"No way, to be honest, what I said earlier wasn't really a lie."

"I see..."

"You can follow me as well or hang out here with this garbage if you want."

The brown-haired man wasn't sure what following him would entail, but he also didn't want to stay in a place where he didn't feel like he belonged.

"I think I'll visit a bit on my own to pass the time before bed, maybe another time."

"Mhm... See you tomorrow then."

He nodded, and so the two men set off in different directions. 

Needless to say, it was indeed a once famous theater that had been renovated into a fancy hotel. Everything was so big and glittering that he almost feared he would go blind. He finally found a remote balcony on the second floor and decided to sit there for a while to smoke. He burned the end of his cigarette with his lighter and leaned against the railing. The moon was shining brightly that night and he could still hear the party in full swing, taking into account his position, he was probably just above one of the ballroom windows if he could pick up people's laughter so clearly. Someone must have opened one of the French windows to cool their minds.

Eli exhaled a cloud of smoke from his lips and crushed his cigarette on the marble ledge. It was getting cold so it was best to call it a day. He would have plenty of time to enjoy the nocturnal calm in the days to come when he would feel like running away from those arrogant vampires. 

And the first day came to an end.

The night was quiet and pleasant. Nothing out of the ordinary happened and Eli slept soundly. In fact, the room was so comfortable that it had been difficult for him to get out of bed this morning. If possible, he would have liked to stay there for the remaining nine days. Anyway, the day belongs to those who get up early as the saying goes, and although he had dragged a bit, he still had woken up earlier than the others. And now that he was awake, it was hard to get back to sleep so he quickly changed and went downstairs to have breakfast.

It was held in a room adjacent to the one intended for receptions like yesterday's and fortunately in a more minimalist style. The dining room was organized like a buffet so he only had to serve himself. He took a plate and filled it with scrambled eggs with bacon and toasts and went to sit at a table. There was no shortage of tables. The place was literally deserted, so he had plenty of choices. A table near the window without being too close to the center seemed to be the best option.

The food was good and the scenery satisfying, the window had a view of a courtyard just before the huge forest that surrounded the hotel. Embrace looked worried, but honestly, Eli kept his doubts. What could possibly go wrong after all? A vampire going crazy and deciding to attack one of the human employees? Unlikely, these Bloody Garment folks only drink the finest blood provided by their associates.

Eli would just love to sit like this and do nothing.

"Is this seat taken?"

The brunette looked up and came face to face with two golden eyes.

"No..."

"I'll allow myself in that case." The detective watched the vampire sit across from him as he chewed his scrambled eggs. "Is there a problem?"

"There was room elsewhere..."

"It's more pitiful to see two people eating alone than together."

If he said so... His gaze was drawn to the other's plate and he couldn't help but wince at the pile of pancakes on his plate. It wasn't the pancakes themselves that made him cringe, but the amount of maple syrup dripping down. If his vampiric body wasn't immune to disease, he'd be afraid to get diabetes from eating this. Was such a thing even edible?

"Aesop, are you, how shall I put it, always eating like that-?"

"What do you mean?"

The fair-haired man looked as if he genuinely didn't understand what he meant, and that was enough of an answer for the dark-haired one.

"Nevermind."

As long as he was enjoying the food it should be fine, right?

Skipping forward to later in the day, there was nothing new to report. Eli was now at the bar drinking a boulevardier, a cocktail that contained Bourbon whiskey, and again, no need to mention the fact that Aesop was still present. The vampire was sipping a cocktail, feigning ignorance to the fact that he was clearly following the dark-haired man.

Suddenly, the door opened and a woman entered. Eli quickly recognized her, it was the drunken lady from yesterday, she still looked wasted by the way.

"Oh~! Aesop! I didn't expect to see you here!" she called out loudly. 

"Miss Bourbon..."

"Always so uptight, you really don't want to call me Demi, do you?" she proceeded to brazenly pat his back, the poor Carl almost choking.

"W-What are you doing here...?" he replied, clearing his throat.

"I wanted to see what this place had in store!"

"You never stop drinking-?"

"You know my dear Carl," she leaned on the counter as she waited for the bartender to prepare her drink, "They say that alcohol is the cause and solution to all our problems..." The young woman received her drink and gently took hold of it, waltzing the contents between her fingers like a rough sea. "It's like that adage was made up for me."

"You have a lot of problems, Mrs. Bourbon?" interjected Eli, who had kept quiet until now.

The blonde widened her eyes for a moment before she started laughing.

"Sort of..." A sad smile played on her lips but she wiped it away as she finished her drink in one gulp. "Well, I think I'll leave you darlings. This alcohol is horrible." 

Demi arranged her top hat again then winked at the two men before disappearing as quickly as she had arrived.

"A real sea draft, she's an interesting woman."

"You like that kind of woman, Eli...?"

"Like is a big word, this was my first time meeting her but I think having her as a friend would be fun."

"All she thinks about is alcohol..."

"On the surface, maybe. You should never trust appearances."

"What's your impression of me then?"

Of him? To say he thought he was handsome the first time around was surely not something he would admit to. Eli rubbed his chin as he watched Aesop from head to toe. What he thought of the blonde...

"You're openly flirting with me but I don't think you mean it and I wonder what your purpose is." he replied.

"Ha ha ha... You have a sharp eye, Mr. Detective..."

He decided to ignore the fact that the vampire had called him that way again and rested an elbow against the counter.

"So?"

"You're right, but you're also wrong."

"What?"

"I can't give a clear answer to be honest. In a way, I'm only doing what is asked of me and on a personal level, it was as if a voice was urging me to uncover more. Isn't that strange?" He faked a laugh.

"I don't think so. I'd even say... we're similar."

"Really?" the blond asked with a surprised look.

"Well, get the attention of a handsome man and anyone would be intrigued."

"So only my appearance matters?"

"Is that your opinion?"

The golden-eyed man sketched a smile before standing up. He leaned next to Eli's ear, one hand stroking his arm with the tip of his fingers.

"I would like us to get to know more about each other, Mr. Detective... On a deeper level that is." He stood up and winked at him. "Ten o'clock."

The man left the bar after that, completely unbothered that he had just turned the detective's mind into a huge mess from his words. Once he was gone, Eli crossed his arms on the counter and hid his face in it to cover his flushed cheeks. This was his second invitation already and it would be impolite to refuse again, right? It's not like he had a hidden agenda or anything.  

Ten o'clock... It wasn't that long from now. Maybe he should get to his room first to wash up a bit...

The night came rapidly and after dinner, just as he was about to go back to his room, he was caught by Aesop who dragged him into his room with no one noticing. The blond had his hands on his chest and tiptoed to press a soft kiss against Eli's lips. 

His kiss was so enchantingly sweet that he felt like he was losing his mind. Aesop then slipped his tongue inside his mouth to entice him to go further. It was the last straw. Eli pushed back the vampire but it was only for a split second before he pinned him against the door to drive their embrace to its limits.

Aesop let out a low moan at the rough move and Eli's hands roaming over his body at every corner.

"Are you prepared to take responsibility for your actions?"

"I've been waiting for this," the blond sighed between kisses. 

The two men had only known each other for two days, but those forty-eight hours felt like a decade of courtship, each glance they exchanged like a love letter and each kiss given that night like a new confession.

When the sun rose that morning, Eli was the first to wake up. He took the opportunity of this quiet time to admire Aesop's still sleeping face. The corner of his eyes was reddened by the tears he had shed last night and the dark-haired man passed his thumb over these marks as if trying to erase them. The blond opened his eyes at the same time, he seemed surprised at first but his expression quickly changed and he stroked that hand back.

"You can go down first, I think I'll loaf around in bed for a while longer..." he growled.

"Alright."

Aesop covered his mouth to yawn as Eli got up from the bed. He took a quick shower in the bathroom and chuckled weakly when he saw upon his return that the other male had already gone back to sleep. Had he been too hard on him? He pressed a kiss to his forehead and left the royal suite.

He went to the elevator and pressed the button before putting his hands in his pockets. A shadow then approached him and he instinctively spun around. A woman dressed in a black coat and hat, another one of those vampires, he thought as he saw her white hair tied neatly in a ponytail. Nevertheless, unlike the other members of the organization he had met so far, she did not give him that uncomfortable feeling familiar to hostility.

"Good morning, sir."

"Oh, good morning."

The young woman sketched a weak smile and Eli frowned. He wondered if she'd seen him leave Aesop's room. Surely she wouldn't open her mouth even if she did right...? He didn't wish to invite trouble for the person he had his eyes set on at the moment.

"Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Nidhogg."

"Eli Clark."

"I've heard of you, Mr. Clark. You're a detective from what I gathered?"

"Indeed I am."

"Do you also handle human cases?"

"I do from time to time..."

"Interesting... I'd like to have that same luck as well but you probably know the restrictions placed on us..."

"Bloody Garment prohibits purebloods from socializing with humans if I'm not mistaken..."

"That's right, meeting third generation vampires is complicated too under normal circumstances but we sometimes make exceptions."

"It's surprising to hear that you don't seem to despise humans."

"I guess that must be strange...?" she said with a laugh. "I'm sure I'm not the first pureblood you've met who thinks the same though."

"Maybe..." the detective replied, looking away.

"I just don't understand the hatred of my peers..."

"We tend to hate what is different."

"Are we though?" Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of the elevator arriving on their floor. The numbers on the counter played one after another like a movie as silence reigned in the enclosed space before ending with zero. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Clark."

"Likewise."

"Oh, I don't know if you're aware, but the owner is planning to perform tonight in the ballroom."

"Thank you for letting me know."

"It's nothing, maybe you should come with Carl, that boy likes drama."

"We'll see-..." he replied, choking up.

Nidhogg nodded and left to go her own way. Eli was now sure that the blonde had seen him. Fortunately, it turned out that the young woman seemed trustworthy. Well... Young... Knowing that vampires valued hierarchy and that she had called Aesop 'that boy', Nidhogg was probably much older than she appeared.

Nothing worth mentioning happened on this third day and Eli spent his free time with Aesop visiting the place, which is how he discovered that the blond had a liking for yellow roses, before heading to the ballroom for the evening's event.

However, they didn't even have time to enter when a thud, like a heavy weight falling, called out to them.

"What was that?" asked Aesop with a frown.

"It was coming from over there, we'd better go check it out."

The two detectives rushed to the ballroom, opening the doors with a bang. Eli held his breath as he reached the site while Aesop slowly walked to the stage, or rather, the scene of the crime.

Hanging from the wall with a sword stuck deep in her chest was the lifeless body of the top-hatted vampire. Her eyes and mouth still open reflected the horrific retribution she had suffered and fresh blood still dripped from the wound, smearing her white shirt with a huge scarlet stain and creating a red puddle beneath her feet.

"Miss Bourbon-..."

"Help me get her out of there, Clark."

Eli was brought back down to earth by Aesop's voice and rushed to the stage as well to help him remove the body. Just at the same time, others began to arrive, starting with Inference and Truth who hurried to join them.

"Recluse! What happened?!"

"Oh dear..."

"Exactly what you can see right now. I'll need you to keep the others from coming in here, gather them in the next room in the meantime." ordered the dark-haired man.

"Alright but... um, this one..."

Eli turned his head towards Inference's gaze which was on Aesop, already examining the victim's body.

"Leave him be, he's also a private detective and I can vouch for his innocence in this case."

Inference rubbed the back of his neck at the flood of information before sighing.

"I'm not sure I understand it all but I'll wait for your report later."

"Thank you, Inspector."

"I'll be standing guard right out front so don't hesitate to call me if you need anything!" the young woman huffed.

"Thanks to you too, Truth.

The inspector and his assistant quickly left the premises, closing the door as they went. Now Eli could finally focus with the help of the other two.

"Did you find anything?"

"You'd think the sword was the murder weapon, but..." the blond slid his fingers down to the deceased's collar to reveal a bite mark on her neck.

"So this is the work of a vampire..."

Biting another vampire was a taboo in the community. If a bite could turn a human into a vampire, it was due to the poison in their fangs, and administering that same poison to a vampire was like making them sign their will, resulting in immediate death. However, third and second generation vampires, having lost a large part of their vampiric genes, no longer possessed this ability. Therefore, the culprit had to be one of the members of the organization.

Eli looked around for any clue but Truth suddenly opened the door to the hall, interrupting him in his thinking.

"Um- Recluse...! The vampires are getting impatient..."

"Urgh... I understand, I'm on my way. Aesop, can I count on you to look for anything that would be out of the ordinary?"

"Mhm." the blond answered as he removed his blood-stained gloves. 

So Eli followed Truth into the next room, yet another ballroom, the gaze of a dozen irritated vampires pointed at him.

"I see everyone's here."

"What is the meaning of all this? I can't remember a time when guests were treated so roughly." said Ada.

"That's what happens when the place is run by peasants." scoffed Joseph.

"Be careful of what you say, Desaulniers. Are you discrediting the master's decisions?"

"What-!?"

The vampire immediately fell silent at his colleague's remark and Eli decided it was time to end this circus.

"Ahem, if I may have your attention for a moment... Some may already know this but I am a detective and the reason I am here today is to solve the murder investigation of one of your members, Demi Bourbon."

"D-Demi-?" repeated Nidhogg.

"Her body was just found in the room where the performance was to take place and the cause of death was a vampire bite so the culprit can only be one of you."

"This is absurd! Master, how can you let him accuse us like that?!" shouted Joseph.

Shut up, Joseph. I called this gentleman here for this very purpose.

The white-haired male grunted weakly, but once again, he shut his talkative mouth soon enough.

"Well... Since I have your beloved master's permission... Hmm, Mr. Ronald, would there be a place where we could hold the interrogations?"

"But of course, this peasant here would be more than happy to help you find out which of these people is just a poor murderer." he replied in a haughty tone visibly directed at Joseph, "You may commandeer the dining hall for your case if it suits you."

"That will be fine." Eli cleared his throat and clapped his hands together. "Then you will be invited one after another for questioning and until I declare you innocent, no one will leave this room."

Eli walked out of there so he wouldn't have to hear any more complaints and ran into Aesop in the hallway as he made his way to the dining hall.

"Oh, Aesop, did you find something?"

"You could say that..."

"Anything is useful."

"The sword belongs to Desaulniers, but it would be a bit too conspicuous to use his own possession to commit murder."

"Indeed... So someone was trying to set him up?"

"Perhaps, that's for you to find out Mr. Detective." he replied as he squinted his eyes, his lips hidden by his mask not allowing Eli to see his expression. "Also, I found a rope hanging on the wire mesh where all the pulleys and cables used for the performances are located." he added as he handed him the rope.

"A rope...?"

"It's a perfectly regular rope, but it's still a clue."

"Aren't you going to stay for the interviews?"

"Not yet, I'd rather not reveal my role now for later. But I'm sure you can manage even without my help."

The vampire leaned toward him and lowered his mask to press a chaste kiss to his lips.

"...!"

"Good luck, my dear detective."

Ahhhhh. The sooner he would get to work, the sooner he could take it easy for the rest of the trip.

"I hope you don't mind if I question you as well, master..."

Not at all, dear gentleman. I'm giving you full authority in this matter so don't worry about my position.

It reassured him to hear such words and he smiled faintly before taking a seat at a table and inviting Embrace to sit across from him. Eli and Aesop had seen Demi on the second day in the evening so the murder could only have taken place from then until the body was found.

'Where were you on the evening of the second day?'

'What were you doing?'

'Is there anyone who can back up your alibi?'

'When was the last time you saw the victim?'

'What kind of relationship do you have with her?'

The detective repeated these same questions over and over to each suspect before finally coming to a conclusion: 

Embrace was almost constantly with Joseph or Michiko. There is of course the possibility of accomplices but it would be stupid to bring him in before committing a murder so the master of Bloody Garment was already crossed off the list. The same goes for Michiko who didn't leave him. As for Joseph...

"The master told me that you guys split up for a while."

"I-I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Really? And may I ask where your sword is?"

Joseph widened his eyes before biting his lip.

"I only left the master for an hour or two to look for my sword! It's a keepsake that means a lot to me..."

"So you don't know what happened to it?"

"No... I promise on my honor. If you know anything, please tell me."

It was definitely the first time the vampire had spoken to him so politely. Joseph really seemed to cherish this sword so he certainly wouldn't go and sully it by using it as a fake murder weapon. It was fair to say that he was innocent.

"Your sword was used to hide the real cause of the death. We will return it to you when the investigation is over unfortunately."

"I-I see..." he replied with a look filled with mixed feelings, "I guess I'm glad it wasn't stolen and gone forever..."

"We'll clean it up, don't worry. That aside, this was clearly a decoy designed to frame you as guilty. Do you have any idea who might be behind this?"

"You know, Mr. Detective... Given my status, it's not surprising that many hate me so I can't shed any more light on that."

"I understand. Thank you for your cooperation though."

Joseph is nothing more than a miserable scapegoat created by the killer.

Emil and Ada apparently stayed together and a few people caught glimpses of them from time to time but it's not concrete enough to exonerate them. 

Then there was...

"Your name is..."

"Call me Lockheart!"

The young blonde woman sketched a wide smile that one would wonder if she was even aware that someone had just lost their life. Lockheart stood up straight in her chair, slightly ruffling her long red skirt as she crossed her legs.

"Miss, where were you today?"

"Oh, somewhere here and there?"

"Meaning..."

"I'm an inventor, a scholar, I like to search and scrutinize, your watch has stopped in passing."

"Huh-?"

"Allow me, I can fix that in no time!" So the young woman grabbed the detective's watch before he could retort and began to pull various tools out of her pockets, he had seen similar things before at a watchmaker. "So back to the point, I've spent most of my free time digging up the secrets of this place. Did you know that the place where the murder took place was the old stage when the hotel was still a theater? I haven't had time to look at everything yet but I'd be willing to bet that the mechanisms are still there... Ah-! I'd give an arm to go there but it's not possible right now. Well, for my alibi, you can ask Kurt, he's one of the vampire employees at this hotel who handles all the technical stuff. Ah, but I have to admit I wasn't with him at times so I guess I'm also a suspect- Oh- Here's your watch!"

She handed the watch back to him with a smile and it was well and truly functional now.

"Um, thanks...? That'll be all, uh, Miss. Lockheart."

Lockheart... Still to be figured out.

Finally, only Nidhogg was left on the list. 

"Where were you today?"

"In my room. We rarely meet so having to talk to so many people made me tired. I only came out for meals, others were present in the dining hall, we saw each other this morning by the way, then I went back in right after to get ready but I heard some commotion coming from downstairs so I went to look. I ran into Emil and Ada on the way, then that's pretty much it I think..."

"You heard noise from the fifth floor?"

"My room is at the end of the hallway and I had left my window open, the ones on the ground floor must have been open."

"I see... That will be all, thank you."

Nidhogg. Also to be determined.

Eli sighed as he looked at the notes in his pad, cross-legged on the couch.

"How's the investigation going?"

Aesop appeared right behind him to put two cups of coffee on the table and then sit next to him. They were in the dark-haired man's room this time as the blond had come in last night so they could review the situation before falling asleep again in each other's arms.

"Do you know if anyone didn't like Demi or Joseph?"

"Hmm, let me think... Bourbon is a little too perky for me but she stayed neutral during conflicts and no one hated her so it's surprising she was murdered."

"Was she close to anyone in particular?"

"Not that I know of, Ada and Emil avoided her but I believe it was because the Mrs. was afraid her husband would pick up bad habits with drinking from Miss Bourbon."

"So they wouldn't have a motive... Just like everyone else..."

"And as for Desaulniers... No one likes him, it's as simple as that. Well, except the master I guess since he's his right hand man?"

"Would anyone hate him enough to want to harm him?"

"I'm not sure... Going so far as to kill one of us is a serious crime that could cost us our lives in return after all..."

"Ha... So we have no leads."

Six days left. Was he really going to solve the case in that short time? Usually he had the help of the CSI, but in this godforsaken dump, they wouldn't be able to come soon and once the vacation was over, there would be no way to keep these vampires under control and the murderer would escape.

"There's still time, patience," whispered Aesop as he cuddled him in his arms, "I'll see if I can find out more by talking to them."

"Keep me updated."

Aesop stood up, but not before kissing his beautiful brunet one last time. He sipped his coffee before leaving and Eli did the same as he looked at the papers gathered on the table: his notes, a floor plan of the building with the room assignments. Embrace, Joseph, Michiko and Lockheart were on the fourth floor, one floor lower than Emil, Ada and Nidhogg, not counting Aesop and himself. Demi's room was also on the fourth floor and according to the bartender, she hadn't gone down to the bar that day because of a hangover according to Lockheart and Michiko so she was resting in her room.

If someone bit her to kill her, then they would have had to enter her room. Anyone could have done it, but how did the killer then manage to carry the body to the first floor without anyone noticing? The wrinkle between his eyebrows deepened as he considered all the possible scenarios in his mind.

A murder in a hotel, an old renovated theater, a stage, mechanisms...

"This is...!"

At the same time, in the hallway, when Aesop had just exited Eli's room, he unintentionally bumped into someone.

"Oompf, sorry Carl-"

"Oh, Nidhogg-"

The blond put a lock of his hair back behind his ear and then noticed that the young woman had dropped something during their collision. He bent down to pick it up but Nidhogg was faster than him and put it in her pocket before.

"Sorry, I'm in a bit of a hurry, see you later." she said with a tight smile.

"Mhm..."

The young woman hurried off after that short encounter and like a train that wouldn't stop, Eli leapt out of his room right after with an enlightened look on his face.

"Aesop-!"

"Eli?"

The dark-haired man walked towards him with determination before grabbing him by the shoulders.

"I think I know how the killer did it but I'm still missing evidence and motive- We should go back to the crime scene and see if we missed anything-"

"Woah, one second, detective. Just in time, I think I discovered exactly what you were looking for." he replied with a smile. 

The pieces of the puzzle were finally coming together for the highlight of the show...

And who says show, says an audience.

So, after some final preparations and checks, everyone was gathered in the ballroom where they had met on the first day. Eli stood on the stage with his hands in his pockets and a confident demeanor in front of the vampires who looked at him with disdain or anxiety.

"Did you finally find the murderer...?"

"It's a good thing you asked," the detective replied with a sneer, "Because, the culprit, is you... Nidhogg."

He pointed his finger convincingly at the young woman, whose expression fell apart on the spot. People instinctively moved away at the thought of being next to a killer, and whispers created a background noise, but they were drowned out by Nidhogg's laughter.

"This must be a joke, Mr. Clark, I told you I stayed in my room most of the time and no one saw me come out of it, except to go to the dining hall."

"Indeed, you committed this murder while making everyone think you were in your room."

"Did not finding the real culprit drive you insane, detective?" she replied while raising an eyebrow.

"I'm perfectly sane thank you for your concern but let me explain your ploy using...this." At that moment, a knocking sound echoed down the hall and everyone turned to the source of the noise which came from the window. On the other side of the balcony was none other than Aesop who was the only one missing the party so far. Eli went to open the door for him, retrieving what he had brought in the process.

"What is he doing here?" asked Ada with a puzzled look.

"I preferred to keep quiet until now but it's proper to say now that I work for the master as a private detective."

"Master... It was all planned...?"

Emil asked Embrace the question but the latter remained silent so Eli proceeded with the rest of his explanation.

"I'm sure you recognize it."

He raised the rope he found earlier in his hands and Nidhogg froze in place when she saw it.

"I don't know where that rope came from..."

"If you say so," he shrugged before turning to Aesop.

"I permitted myself to enter your room, Nidhogg... And there were marks left by that rope on the railing of your balcony."

"What are you getting at-!?"

"Relax, we're just getting there and the first act begins with this rope. Nidhogg, if my assumptions are correct, your room is exactly above this room and not only, this one but Demi's room as well according to the plans that Mr. Ronald provided me. So you used this rope the first time to climb down from your balcony to Bourbon's room where you killed her by biting her. You could have left the body like that but it wasn't enough and once again you used the rope to go down to the ballroom. Aesop and I heard a loud thud that day, it must have been Demi's body that you dropped because it was too hard to hold onto the rope while carrying someone. It took us a while to get there so with what little time you had left, you stabbed her with Mr. Desaulniers' stolen sword and threw the rope over the wire mesh, thinking we wouldn't find it."

"Interesting, but how could I have fled the scene in time in that case?"

"It's obvious though, aren't we in a theater?"

Eli sketched a smile before tapping his foot on a certain area of the stage. Nidhogg looked at him doubtfully when suddenly a trap door in the floor opened and a blonde head emerged.

"L-Lockheart-!?" gasped Michiko.

"Phew, you can tell no one was using that passageway from all the dust in there!"

"Well, Lockheart?"

"It's exactly as you predicted, detective! If you follow this path, you'll find yourself outside the building!"

"Thank you for your help, ma'am." Eli held out a hand to help her out before resuming, "As you can see, it's not strange for a stage to have this kind of mechanism to allow actors to supposedly disappear during performances. You were probably aware of this fact Nidhogg and so exploited it to get out before simply going back inside the hotel through another entrance as if nothing had happened before joining the others here when the body was discovered."

"Your assumptions are brilliant, I must admit. However, you are forgetting one detail, for what reason would I have killed Demi?"

"A reason..."

"You don't have one, do you?"

"I think you're the most suitable to tell us, Nidhogg."

"What-?!"

"Aesop bumped into you earlier and he saw what you dropped at that time. The answer to your question is in your coat pocket and you know it. Now you can only confess."

"I-I..." Nidhogg took a step back. Clearly, all she had left was salvation. She sketched a faint smile and pulled the last piece of evidence from her pocket, a photo she held out to Eli. "You're right, detective."

The dark-haired man took it to examine it. Two women could be seen standing next to each other in it. The one on the right was Nidhogg. The one on the left was unknown to him but she had brown hair and black eyes.

"Who is this...?"

"...My lover."

"A human..." he stated.

"That's right... I know we're not allowed to be together but I once met her while sneaking out of the vampire territory and I've been infatuated ever since."

"Demi found that picture?"

"It was a careless mistake on my part and I regret my actions. Maybe things could have turned out differently but I panicked on the spur of the moment and didn't think it through."

"What about Mr. Desaulniers' sword?"

"Ha." Her bitter smile became overwhelmed with hatred and she laughed. "I figured if someone was going to be charged for my crime, it might as well be the one who hates humans the most in this room! It's because of vampires like him that this organization is rotten to the core! If only I hadn't been born into this family..."

Nidhogg turned to the man in question and glared at him, causing Joseph to look away in shame.

"It's over, Nidhogg. Your sentence will be decided by the master, but considering the severity of your crime... I don't know if you can ever see her again..."

"I should have expected that." Michiko approached Nidhogg and placed a hand on her shoulder as if to signal that it was time for her to leave but before she did, the young woman looked up at Eli one last time. "Detective, if one day... A woman named Vera Nair should come to your office and wish to know where I am- Tell her, not to be fooled by the illusion of the scent of black roses."

"I'll tell her."

Nidhogg thanked him and then left the room. The other vampires soon followed suit, not wanting to stay in a room where a murder had taken place.

Finally, only Eli and Aesop were left.

"How about some fresh air on the balcony, dear detective?"

"Sounds good to me."

Aesop sketched a smile before leading him out onto the balcony, holding his hand. Eli noticed that he was no longer wearing his mask and wondered when he had taken it off but he quickly stopped thinking about it, too mentally exhausted for that.

It was already dark when the case was closed and the moon was shining like a thousand lights over the heads of the two vampires.

"The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes..."

"I spoke with the master and the landlord earlier. Unfortunately, the stay will be cut short due to this incident and the hotel will temporarily close its doors again." Eli let out a long sigh upon hearing that his vacation was over but then Aesop turned to him and cupped his face in his hands. "But that's not all, because of what just happened, the master has been thinking and has decided that now's finally time for us to change our rules."

"You mean..."

"Why don't we extend this stay elsewhere, my dear detective...?"

Aesop drew him in softly, brushing his lips against his like a fluttering butterfly before settling against the coveted flower of his desires.

"It would be my pleasure."

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