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Silent's Horror Corner!

Vanion's Story : Part IV

by [silent_voice]





Chapter Three

There was a single bang on the rough surface of the door before the eye slit slid open, and a single keen eye gazing out. "Who is it?" Came the deep, rumbling voice from inside, Vanion looked at him from the brim of his hat. "D'ask." There was a fumbling of the lock before the door opened, inside was the same large man as before. "Where the hell have you been? Them guys down there have had everyone looking out for you."

Vanion raised his brows slightly as he entered, heading straight for the door. "Oh, its so touching that they care." he said in a dry tone before heading downstairs. Silently walking into the light the men hidden in the shadows made an approved sound, "It's good to know your alive Vanion, we were getting worried about you." One spoke, when Vanion made no sound he went on, "Your mission was a success two days ago, where have you been?"

Vanion paused for a moment then raised his brow. "I decided to take a holiday, get some rest." He said in dry, soft tones. The men murmured to one another before one of them stood up angrily. "Don't lie to us Vanion, we know where you've been, we've got pictures!" He said throwing a small file on the floor in front of Vanion, inside were pictures of the girl, and himself coming out of her home. "You were reckless and foolish D'ask. This woman has seen your face, and what you are. She cannot live. So your next mission will be to kill her. Do not fail us Vanion, you know the consequences..."

Vanion made no sound or recognition, so the man lent forwards, making his eyes glint. "That precious Gabrielle of yours may have a little accident." Vanion's eyes hardened and he turned away, moving to leave. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out D'ask." He called out dryly.

The large man at the door watched Vanion go, knowing his face was hard like he had seen it many times before he knew better than to say anything and let him go. Vanion had enough troubles on his mind without him adding to them.


Vanion silently walked into the back of Gabe's shop, a few moments later she walked into the back also, walking straight past him she moved around to the desk and began to organize a few things, sorting out papers. After a minute of silence Vanion finally spoke. "I'm he-" He was cut off before he finished.

"Yes, I know your here Vanion, Do you think I'm deaf?" She asked harshly looking up directly at him, even though she was blind Vanion knew better than to distrust her ability to look at him.

Vanion sighed softly and looked down "No Gabes..." He said softly and looked at her with care in his eyes. "Gabes I'm sorry I was a jerk last time I ca-" Again he was cut off by the angered blind woman.

"VANION! This isn't about the last time you visited! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!?" She asked in desperation, her sightless eyes wide "Four days Vanion! Four days and nothing! I thought you were dead!" She said angrily, Vanion could see the tears starting to form at the corners of her eyes, "I was worried sick about you! You say your going on a job then suddenly your gone for four days? What was I to think!?" She asked in desperation, a tear sliding down her cheek.

Vanion slowly lent forwards and with a gloved hand he gently wiped away the tear, "Gabrielle..." He said in a gentle voice. "You would hear on the radio or on the television if I had died... come on, stop the tears..." He said gently and softly stroked her cheek.

Gabrielle sighed softly and nuzzled his hand gently. "I couldn't stand it if the last thing I said to you was 'I hear customers'... Especially since it was a lie." She said softly and sighed, "And we were supposed to have dinner Vanion..." She whispered and then held his hand tighter to her cheek "What happened... you can tell me Vanion... you know I won't tell anybody..."

As Vanion slowly told her the entire story of what happened, fuzzing over a few details on how he got in, Gabrielle listened silently her face calm and her head slowly nodding, when it got to the part about him getting shot she held his hand tighter, thankful he was alive. Almost half an hour later Vanion finished his story about how his bosses had wanted him to kill the girl that had saved his life, he did not tell Gabrielle of the threat to kill her if he did not comply. Vanion knew that if he told her Gabrielle would make a big ploy about how much that girl's life was worth, and how little hers was.

Gabrielle was silent for a while before she sighed, "What you get yourself into Vanion..." She said, softly squeezing his hand. "This girl... how old is she?" She asked softly.

Vanion hesitated, "Around the 20 mark." He said quickly before looking away. Gabrielle nodded slowly and swallowed. Vanion looked down then sighed, "I have to do it, they hold something very precious to me over my head." He said softly.

Gabrielle nodded slowly. "Alright then... Vanion, this thing had better be worth her life..." She said softly, Vanion slowly stood. "It is... to me." He gently touched her cheek. "I'll come back tomorrow Gabes... we can have dinner, I'll be here around nine, I'll talk to you then, goodnight Gabrielle."

She slowly stood. "Goodnight Vanion." She said softly then rubbed his hand gently, "I love you." She said softly, there was no hesitation in Vanion's voice, no regret as he said open and unabashedly, "I love you too Gabrielle."

The pair slowly squeezed each other's hands before going their separate ways, Vanion slowly moved out the back and Gabrielle out the front of her shop to keep order in the store.


Vanion's mind was made up – he had to save Gabrielle. Heading for a quick stop off at his home he retrieved his bow and a few daggers. This wasn't a hard mission, but he wanted to be sure. Shaking his head, Vanion rid himself of the conscience that had been yelling at him for the past hour, telling him that it would be bad if he went through with this. Silently Vanion rid himself of everything that held him back, becoming what the papers had labelled him, The Reaper.

Vanion's eyes narrowed slightly as he held the massive, thick, longbow up in the air, slowly pulling an arrow from the quiver on his back he placed the slender piece of tipped wood onto the high tension bow and pulled back, the wheels turned as the bow pulled back to its maximum stretch. Looking down the sight Vanion took aim at Bethany sitting there on the couch, watching her television. He swallowed slowly and moved the bow slightly, aiming it better before with a soft twang, the arrow flew free as the wire snapped it forwards. The arrow was free, All Vanion could do now, was watch.

Bethany flicked through the channels slowly as she considered the creature she had saved. He was so mysterious, and different. He had saved her life, now she saved his. She felt secure in the world, safe from all wrong doings at that moment, the cosmos was in balance. Then, without warning her window smashed, looking over just in time she glimpsed the arrow before it struck her straight into the chest, piercing a lung and erupting out her back, she made a surprised choking sound and fell forwards off the couch. Slowly dragging herself towards the phone, her blood pooled underneath her, her breath shortening as she drew closer to what she thought would be safety.

Vanion swore to himself angrily, he had missed the kill shot. So now he had to do it himself. Taking a running leap he easily made it over the gap and landed on the fire escape with a loud clang. Quickly sliding open her window he slipped inside seeing her just as she reached for the phone. Striding over the room he grabbed her and turned her around. She made a gasping sound of pain as she looked up at him. Her eyes showing fear, then a slight calm. "Y-your here..." She whispered before coughing, blood slowly escaping the corner of her mouth "H-Help..." She managed to gasp before Vanion pulled out his dagger and looked her in the eyes. "Forgive me." He said regretfully before slitting her throat.

The girl's eyes widened and she made a gurgling choking sound, why...? Why did I deserve this? Why... why... why did he do that? She asked herself mentally before the darkness slowly consumed her, her eyes fading, the light behind them gone.

Vanion watched her die, her blood slowly dripping onto the carpet, drip... drip.... drip... Vanion lowered his head, hearing a burst of laughter coming from the television behind him he sighed deeply and moved his hand over her eyes slowly closing them. Vanion sat in that room for a long time, silently mulling over things in his head, what he had done to this woman that had saved his life, what he had done in his life...

A cold-blooded murderer.

The voice whispered in his head once more as he sat there, Vanion's eyes snapped open. "I am not..." He said angrily before looking down at the dead woman in his arms. Vanion gently lay her on the floor before rising and moving back towards the window, taking one last look around the room he stepped outside, disappearing into the night.


The phone buzzed in Manwell's home. The officer's eyes shifted from his roof, to the phone, he let it ring once, twice, three times before picking it up, feigning a groggy voice he muttered, "Manwell... Who is it?"

The voice on the other end sounded highly strung and panicky "Sir... we think we found another one..." In the background there was the sound of camera's and many people talking.

Manwell grunted. "Right, where is it?" He asked sitting up in bed and grabbing his uniform where he had tossed it a few hours ago, after getting the address Manwell finished dressing. On his way down to the car, halfway down the hall he opened the door to his daughter's room and looked at her sleeping, the light flickered from the streetlight and he saw something glint off of her chest. The call could wait, his daughter was more important. He moved to her side and looked down, seeing the fine necklace with the cat's head on it. Manwell frowned slightly, looking at it for a few moments before another figure appeared at the door.

"Where are you going?" The woman asked softly in a hushed voice.

Manwell looked over at his wife then down to the little girl, his daughter, Stephanie, moving over to the door he looked at her. "What do you care?" He asked in an angry whisper before walking past her and down the stairs, moving out into the night.

The woman stood silently for a while before she moved into the bedroom and kissed her daughter's forehead. "Sleep well, baby girl." She whispered before walking out of the bedroom and back down to the room separate from her husband. She knew she had hurt him severely the night before during their heated argument, and now she was paying the price. Manwell had come close to hitting her a few times, but always held himself back... Barely. She sighed as she climbed into bed, facing the open window as the car roared off into the night. "I love you." She whispered softly to her long gone husband.

Manwell slowly pulled up outside the apartment where the girl had died, his eyes roamed the crowding media as they took photos of the building and the police protecting the entrance. Getting out of his car the media's attention turned, suddenly cameras were in his face. The snapping pictures, frantic questions and flashing bulbs were blinding to Manwell who did nothing but slowly push through the throng and head into the building. "Make sure no-one gets in." He muttered to a policeman who was standing outside. Manwell didn't wait for a response, just pushed past and moved into the building.

Lieutenant Leppich stood at the entrance to the room, when he saw Manwell he called out to him, "Sorry to have called you so late sir, but she was found by her neighbours when the heard the glass smash. She's only been dead a few hours. We believe her name is 'Bethany Dalis'.” He moved into the room, showing Manwell into the girl's apartment.

Manwell looked around at the few men in protective gear, already searching the room, he carefully walked around the marked areas and looked down at the girl lying on the floor, he frowned slightly and rubbed his chin. "Let me guess... the fire escape hadn't moved and the roof only has the fire escape as an entry point."

Leppich nodded. "Not only that Sir but the alleyway had three people inside at the time, they all saw the same thing sir... Nothing." He said motioning out the window, "No normal man could jump from the roof to another building, we've already had people up there to check. Sir... I don't think that we are dea-"

He was cut off by Manwell who turned to him angrily. "Don't you start giving me that bullshit again about him 'not being human' or 'a mutant' for shit's sake, the man is a cold blooded killer! The others I could understand, each man had a history of violence or murder or had back stabbed people their entire lives, I can't understand why her though, I want a full background check, get all her bank details, comb this place, I want... EVERYTHING!"

Leppich held out his hand "Sir, there is one more thing." He said, Manwell stopped and turned to him. "What is it?" He asked before being led through into the kitchen, there he was an unfurled note on the bench.

Manwell lent over it and read it aloud, "Bethany, I apologize for leaving on such short notice, but I cannot stay at your home any longer, I would be endangering you on more grounds than you would know, it has already been two days, I am sure that if I stayed longer, I would be causing harm to your life. Sincerely, V.D. - The Reaper." Manwell paused and rubbed his chin, he looked at Leppich. "I want all options considered... maybe someone is trying to get this... V.D. To make a mistake, put two teams on this case, one to work on it as if it was someone else, and another to work as if it was a normal Reaper case. And Leppich..." He paused as Leppich turned to him "I want them to collaborate in the end."

Leppich nodded as his chief turned and left the room to deal with the media. Turning back to the note he looked it over once more "V.D." He mused, "Sounds like a comic book character..." He sighed then shook his head, moving to the door and leaving the forensics to work on the room alone.


Vanion slipped through the window silently and dropped his bow heavily to the ground, his quiver soon followed as he looked around his empty home. His eyes were sunken slightly as the weight of what he did to a girl, no, an innocent girl came crashing down over him. She didn't deserve this fate, she didn't deserve to die, but he had done it, to save another, to save the woman he found himself loving.

Ten minutes later he had finished cleaning himself up. Vanion looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes running over his own face and torso, as if trying to see the man behind what many others thought was a monster. Faintly his fingers traced over his jaw, then up the side of his face before they rested against the long harsh scars down his left eye. He couldn't remember how he got them – just a loud noise and a feeling of loss. If he thought about it too much, his head ached. Memories were missing in his head, always missing, Vanion remembered nothing about his childhood and it haunted him to this very day. How did he get into the job he was in? How was it possible? Was he always a murderer? No. His dreams had told him that. His dreams had yelled to him, screamed to him that once upon a time, he had been innocent.... That time was long gone.

The triple hit on his doorbell jerked his mind away from the thoughts, quickly he donned a thick sweater and some gloves the doorbell was silent for three seconds, before a double dinging. Another two seconds of silence before another three rings sounded through his house. This was the signal that Gabrielle was at the door. Vanion smiled to himself softly as he looked through the peephole at the sweet blind girl on the other side. Slowly he turned the handle, remaining behind the door, out of sight.

Gabrielle sensed the door opening in front of her and stepped through, she was wearing a simple, white dress that showed her long beautiful legs and some of her breast, but still had the decency to leave some things to the imagination, her cane was ever present in her hand but she left it against the inside wall as she walked in, taking the three steps necessary.

Vanion spoke from somewhere behind her, "You look beautiful." he said in a soft, gentle, voice as the door clicked behind him, shutting the pair from the outside world.

Gabrielle smiled softly. "Why thank you kind sir, and pray tell, what's on the menu tonight my dear D'ask?" She asked as she walked across the room, its layout well memorized in her exceptional mind. She sat modestly on the couch and looked where she supposed Vanion was.

Vanion smiled slightly at her impeccable ability to know exactly where he was without actually seeing him. "Tonight we have a lovely steak Diane with some simple vegetables and a glass of wine." Vanion had to admire how beautiful this woman was, even if she was different than him, she was so understanding, so gentle, so... perfect.

Gabrielle felt his eyes upon her and smiled sweetly. "It sounds perfect, just like always Vanion. May I trouble you for a glass now so we can talk? Maybe loosen you up a little." There was a brief pause before she said softly. "You had no choice Vanion... The girl isn't your fault." Her brows furrowed slightly as she lost his position in the room for a moment, he was the only one that had ever been able to hide from her like that.

When Vanion next spoke he knew he had surprised her by where he was, he could read her so well, she was open with him. "How is it not my fault Gabrielle, I killed her with my own two hands. I could have easily said no." Slowly moving across the room he lifted her hand with his gloved one and gently put the glass in it. "I did it Gabrielle, it was one of the lowest moments in my life." Again there was that silence as both sat and sipped the wine together. Vanion was the first to break the extended but not uncomfortable silence. "But tonight is not about that. This is a nice dinner between friends. So let’s eat."

Almost two hours later Gabrielle lay asleep on Vanion's chest, Vanion's arms were around her in a gentle way. It was while she was asleep that Vanion could truly see her natural beauty. Her calm face, not covered in cosmetics, she had nobody to prove anything to, she was herself and believed that cosmetics only hid what was inside. Vanion watched her beautiful sleeping face, gently he reached up and touched her cheek. A gentle frown crossed her face as she felt the feeling of a glove against her skin, it felt rough, unnatural.

Vanion watched and wondered silently. Slowly, without waking her he pulled off the glove, exposing the furry hand beneath, and the retracted claws deep in his fingers. He wanted to touch her, just once if it was possible, just a fleeting touch while she slept. Could he bring himself to do it? Vanion's finger drew closer to her face, her breathing quickened slightly, as if sensing excitement. Vanion paused before he sighed to himself, he couldn't do it.

Gently Vanion lent forwards and placed a soft kiss on the top of Gabrielle's head before he carefully lifted her and carried her to his bedroom, and in turn, his bed. Vanion gently tucked her in and looked at her beauty once more before sighing softly and leaving the room.


As the hours passed and dawn approached, Manwell pulled into his driveway and sat there for a while, seat belt still on, engine idling. Looking up at his house his face was blank. The case was gone from his mind for now, but it would all come rushing back at him in his dreams, his nightmares. After about five minutes, he switched off his engine and clambered out of his aging vehicle. Slowly Manwell shut his door, it creaking with protest as it was closed. He made a mental note to get some WD-40 later on.

In the house his wife, Cassandra, sat on the couch, her legs curled under her and her robe covering most of her body. She stared blankly at the off television and chewed on a thumbnail slowly as she thought things through. Her head lifted as she heard the front door opening, a hopeful look in her eyes arose as Manwell walked into the house, it faded when he strode past her without saying a thing. Slowly she rose, "J-John?" Her voice wavy and seemed on the verge of tears.

Manwell stopped and lowered his head slightly. "Yeah?" He asked after a long while. He had conceded in talking to her. Slowly he turned around, his face was slightly pained but mostly blank.

Cassandra looked down then looked to him, her eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry John, I didn't mean it... Please... I-I'm scared.... I love you... I wish I could take it back... I really do...." Again there was a long pause, she felt the tears roll down her cheeks "Please." She sobbed. "Please say something, I can't handle not talking to you John." She raised her hands, sobbing into them before wiping at her eyes. She then felt another hand gently wiping them away, slowly she looked up and into the eyes of her husband.

John Manwell looked into the eyes of his wife, and not for the first time he felt a wave of guilt and disgust roll through him, not aimed at her, but at himself. He had started the argument, how come he never had the courage to apologize? Slowly, he moved closer, leaning down, he gently brushed his lips against hers, he had filled her vision, all she could see was those eyes, they caught her, just like the day they had met.

Slowly he pulled back and looked her in the eyes. "I'm the one that should be saying sorry Cass... not you." he said in a deep soft voice before he put his arms around her, the pair holding each other in a warm loving embrace that seemed to last forever. The pair lost in their own world.

Stephanie watched from the stairs and felt her heart skip a beat, a big beautiful smile grew over her face as she rubbed the small cat head on her necklace. She now knew that it would always bring her good luck. Everything was going to be okay. She had no idea how wrong she was....





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