Chapter 218: The Hunger: A.K.A. The Curious Case of Lady Grey

I’m hungry, Calvin thought to himself as he sat on top of the train headed toward his territory, taking the scenic route so he had time to think about his life and where he wanted to take it. The wind blowing in his hair felt nice.

Wait a minute. I’m hungry! Calvin started, having grown accustomed to not being hungry at all. The familiar feeling of hunger was sitting right there, making his stomach feel like it was slowly tearing itself apart.

How much you wanna bet normal human food doesn’t make it go away? Elliot said, his voice smug.

No bet. Everybody knew vampires drank blood, ghouls ate corpses, and vishkeya stole people’s dreams, leaving them hopeless shells. Calvin was dreading this day. He’d hoped that Maculat didn’t eat anything, because an undead was practically defined by the fact that what it ate was harmful to humans.

That and being undead. Elliot said.

“At least we’ve got some fringe benefits,” Calvin said, wiggling his slowly regrowing fingers. In a week or so, they’d be back to normal.

Okay, so what do I do? I need to minimize the damage as much as possible, Calvin thought to himself, his veins singing with adrenaline.

Well, the first thing I would do is actually make sure human food isn’t gonna cut it. No sense dining on the blood of the innocent before you’ve checked, amiright? After that…your specific mutation profile suggests your favorite prey might walk on two legs and have a little extra junk in their trunk.

What?

Someone a little more stacked? More estrogen than average? Bringing a taco in their lunchbox?

I’m guessing from context that you mean women. Why didn’t you just say women?

Thank you, but I prefer it my way.

So I need… Calvin snapped his fingers. I need a test subject. A disposable one. Everyone, what’s the evilest woman you can think of?

My aunt. Nadia said, sounding hopeful.

No, too far away, and I don’t want to go into Iletha any more than I have to. They do not like me there.

Nadia clicked her tongue.

You blew up my choice. Although to be fair she was most likely not herself at the time. Kurawe said.

There’s a woman named Lady Grey in Mujenan whose last three wealthy husbands have died of sudden illness.

That’s guarshit, right?

Everyone knows it is, but no one can prove anything without asking for a mind mage to pry it out of her, and we trust them less than a suspected triple poisoner.

Perfect, Calvin thought, rubbing his hands together. Now, I can –

Test to make sure you actually need to eat her and you’re not just doing it to do it? Kala asked sweetly.

Boo.

Calvin went down to the food cart and shoveled an entire pie down his throat, than sat back and waited.

The hunger only got stronger as Calvin sat on top of the train, kicking his heels against the thick metal of the car.

“Welp, it’s time to go to Mujenan and hunt ourselves a widow.” He said, standing.

You seem awfully eager, Kala said with exasperation. Are you sure you want to just jump into this?

“Do you really want to follow the tired cliche of me desperately trying to control my hunger until I finally lose control and kill either you or some innocent maid, riddling myself with guilt for the rest of my days? If I have to eat women I might as well do the world some good.”

When you put it like that…

“Plus I’ve never hunted a widow before,” Calvin said with a grin. “She’s probably crafty.”

Kala sighed.

Calvinian Summoning

Atom Ant

Heart of the swarm

24/47 Bent remaining.

***Mujenan***

Calvin imploded out of three massive wasps, directly above a well-appointed club building chock full of snobbery, and smack in the center of a tremendous lawn.

Shifting

23/47 Bent remaining.

Calvin shifted his mass into the earth before he hit the ground, landing with the same force as a small package of flour.

One of the guys.

Calvin’s frame lengthened, his skin wrinkling around his body as he took on the average appearance of everyone nearby.

In this case, rich old Gadveran men.

“My disguise is complete. The bait is set.” Calvin said, chuckling evilly as he examined his liver-spotted forearm.

Master Baiter.

Now gold-diggers and black widows will find me irresistible.

Ah, but what rich old man doesn’t have retainers?

Chained Spirit

Chimera

Chained Spirit

Chimera

Chained Spirit

Chimera

20/47 Bent remaining.

Calvin summoned Nadia, Kala and Kurawe, although he replaced Nadia’s skin and hair with Kala’s to make her blend in better, and gave Kurawe his saved beeswax checker form.

For Kala, he gave her a few minor touch-ups from Nadia’s bone structure, to make sure she didn’t get outed as the princess of the entire country, along with a few unique surprises he intended to take advantage of afterward.

The alterations had the unintended consequence of making the two of them look like sisters, but that wasn’t a major problem.

The major problem was the hunger burning a hole through his stomach. Not literally, but it was making it hard to concentrate.

“Alright, I know this is a bit impromptu, but you’re my retainer, and you two are my maids. We’re going to this woman’s mansion a few blocks away and let undead nature take its course. We don’t know for a fact I’ll hurt anyone, but I’d rather not risk it on innocent people, So…”

Off we go to meet a man-killer, Calvin thought, beginning his march.

Nadia and Kala grabbed either shoulder, halting him midstride.

“We need to get you a change of clothes, too,” Kala said, pointing at Calvin’s attire. While his body looked like a convincing, somewhat handsome older man, his clothes were several inches too short and hung around his ankles.

“Okay, that could be a problem,” Calvin admitted.

***Later***

Threads, Check, Calvin thought, running his thumb down his jacket.  A big lump of gold will buy just about anything.

Kurawe was dressed similarly, albeit without the extra trimmings, while Nadia and Kala were wearing authentic maid uniforms.

Dark, frill-less clothes, good for hiding stains from cleaning, with long skirts and sensible shoes.

You missed a goddamn perfect opportunity right there.

Those suggestions you made were ridiculous. I don’t know where you’re from exactly, but maids and strippers are two different jobs.

They don’t have to be! You’re just not getting it!

The human foot isn’t meant to wear high-heels at all, let alone an entire work-day.

My android stripper-maid never complained.

Calvin rolled his eyes, trying to distract himself from the hunger gnawing away at him with conversation. Twice now he’d had to stop himself from chasing this woman or that, his feet seemingly turning toward them against his will.

By this point they were fairly sure they were on the right track with the whole ‘lady killer’ theory.

The thing that really concerned him was this: there weren’t a whole lot of women in the wild deserving of death, so what would happen if he ate them faster than they arose naturally?

What if the Royals found out about it? Would they label him an aberration?

Calvin didn’t want to think about it. Not now anyway.

They stood in front of the gloomy mansion in the far corner of the Mujenan High District, its premises overshadowed by taller structures in the distance as the sun was beginning to set.

Calvin sauntered up to the front door with the practiced arrogance of someone who could take anything his eyes landed on, and simply chose not to.

Not entirely inaccurate.

He knocked.

There was a long delay, some ten minutes, during which he felt eyes gaze at him from the second story, but didn’t turn to look. At the end of his wait, the heavy front door unlocked with a thunk, revealing a woman with greying hair and a somewhat haggard face.

Calvin could see the Bent veins in her body, untapped and waiting.

“Goodness,” She said sweetly, her gaze raking him up and down with a predatory anticipation. “A gentleman caller. You have me at a disadvantage. Who might you be?”

By instinct, Calvin put his foot in the doorjamb, and gave her his best smile. This old man still had all his teeth.

“I’m Korus Brekket,” He said, puffing out his chest. “I’ve been away the last ten years, touring Boles. I was a friend of your late husband,” – Beran Grey, Kala supplied – “Old Grey Ber.”

“I’ve never heard anyone call him that,” Lady Grey said, eyes narrowed.

“Just the closest friends.” Calvin said with Confidence.

“He’s never mentioned you.” She said, still sporting a hint of suspicion.

“I mean no offense, madam, but did you talk with your husband much?”

Black widows weren’t known for having deep connections with the men they killed.

She actually broke into a laugh. “No, I suppose we didn’t. What brings you here, Mr. Brekket?”

“Well, I return to the country after a decade, and discover my good friend has passed away. I thought I’d pay a visit to his widow and hear about his final days, and perhaps pay you his share.”

“His share?”

“Oh yes, did he not mention it? He partially funded my expedition.” Calvin said, Confidence at full blast, and his hunger seemingly dictating his every move for him.

It was almost scary, watching his body work its way into this woman’s home with little to no effort on his part. The words and actions simply flowed from him.

“Well, why didn’t you say so?” Lady Grey said, opening the door the rest of the way and inviting him in. “I’ll have to put on some tea.”

The woman turned aside and took a deep breath.

“Sesha!” She shouted in a harsh, cutting voice that caused him to flinch and nearly snapped Calvin out of his act. “Get over here!”

A young woman with dark circles under her eyes and the hollowed cheeks of malnutrition scrambled out of one of the side rooms, from behind a door with a lock conspicuously on the outside.

She took a moment to collect her posture before addressing the woman. “What can I do for you lady grey?”

“Bring out the good tea and snacks, we’ve got guests.” Lady grey said, pulling a thick ring of keys from her waist and carefully going through them before dislodging a single key and handing it to the young woman.

Wow, I hate her already. What time do we eat?

Patience.

Lady grey guided him to a sitting room, while Calvin’s ‘maids stayed behind to help set up the get together. His ‘retainer’ entered the room with him, fading into the background as he clandestinely checked everything for beeswax. He had the complacency aura of a Stalker, which made it easier.

There were a few offenders and Kurawe informed him mentally while Calvin engaged the greying woman with meaningless small talk.

They sat there for about an hour, Calvin asking little questions about this and that detail of his ‘friend’s last years, while she in turn subtly probed him about his status and wealth, her gaze growing more and more predatory When he mentioned he was single.

She asked him about his fingers, easily answered by a quick yarn about his stay in Boles, the monster capital of the continent.

When the hunger was starting to make it difficult to think, Calvin acted.

Mesmerizing Eye

He took a moment to catch the widow’s gaze with his own, then locked her into a staring contest.

“Why did you kill me?” He asked. A simple enough question.

“What?” Lady grey asked, her jaw slowly relaxing as she sank into the mutation’s effects.

“I gave you everything you wanted, didn’t I?” he asked.

Just like with a dream, Mesmerizing Eye only took a small nudge in one direction or the other, and people’s minds filled in the blanks themselves.

In this case, Lady Grey slowly began to See Calvin as her husband. Her dead husband.

“I think something’s gone off with the cookies,” Lady grey said, her skin turning pale as she set down her drink and made to stand. She was outwardly calm, but Calvin could see her Bent rioting inside her body as her heartbeat shot up.

“They taste fine to me,” Calvin said, taking another non-fulfilling bite of the tasty morsel. “No need to run off. Stay. Tell me more about your dress. It seems new.”

“Right…ah, I suppose I got distracted. Well, after Beran passed away, I needed something to distract myself from the grief, so I bought myself some of the things he never let me have.”

“They look good on you,” Calvin said with a smile, catching her gaze again

Mesmerizing Eye

“Can’t you see what I really am?” Calvin asked.

This time she shot to her feet, her legs banging against the table.

“What is this?” She demanded. “Ilethan mind magic? Are we even in my home?” She asked, glancing around.

There’s a vial of poison in the upper pantry. It’s not the kind you use on rats, either. This is the good stuff. Nadia reported.

Bring it.

“Relax, Mrs. Grey. You look a little distraught. Maybe we should get some other refreshments? Something from the upper pantry perhaps?”

Her jaw dropped, trembling as she struggled to speak. “You, you, What…”

There was a gentle rap on the door, and Kala walked in with the vial of poison on a tray, setting it down in front of him, giving Lady Grey a wink before heading back out.

“I want to leave.” The silver haired widow said, making to leave the room.

“Sit down.” Calvin said, the sheer force of his words forcing the woman back into her seat. That and Kurawe standing behind her. But she didn’t mind him. Rather, she couldn’t mind him.

“You’re not leaving until you get what you deserve.” Calvin said, picking up the bottle, letting the Maculat drive his actions.

“No, no, no,” She whispered, eyes wide with fright.

Calvin took the cork out, letting the sweet smell of the poison catch his nostrils.

“Please, Beran, I’m sorry,” she babbled “It wasn’t me, it was your daughter! I would never hurt you! Oh gods!”

Calvin tipped the bottle of poison back and drank the entire thing. It was sweet, with a bit of an acrid aftertaste.

“W-what?” she asked, stunned. “Of course…this is a dream. You always did like your drinking.” She ended with a sneer.

Mesmerizing Eye

“What do you deserve?” He asked as her eyes went vacant.

“A-all of it. I deserve everything you had and more!” she said, her true thoughts beginning to show through her act. “Getting rid of your disgusting children is practically a job in and of itself. Once Sesha’s gone, I’ll finally be free.”

Calvin manifested a knife and slit his wrist, holding it above the table, where it dripped royal purple onto the teaplate beneath

“What do you see?” he asked.

“Oh, Beran,” Lady grey crooned, holding her hands to her breast in delight. “You’re bleeding money! Gods, it’s like a dream come true!”

The widow practically dove onto the teaplate and began licking up the blood with enthusiasm, shuddering with delight.

Calvin pressed the edges of his wound together, feeling them seal with inhuman speed while he watched the reprehensible woman slowly lose motor control.

“Oh, my,” She said, slurring her words, her arms barely supporting herself as she tried to pick herself off the table. “I seem to have had one too many drinks, Beran.”

One of the guys.

Calvin’s bones creaked as his body changed back to its original shape, his sleeves seemingly growing longer to cover his hands as he shrunk a bit.

Lady grey blinked, her pupils dilated to an unnatural degree. “Who ‘r u?” she slurred.

“I suppose I’m the actual predator in this scenario,” Calvin said, standing.

The woman’s eyes widened, and she tried to push herself away from the table, but her arms failed her, dropping her onto the ground halfway between the chair and the table.

Calvin walked around the table, ignoring her feeble protests as he put a hand around her neck. Her heartbeat was weak, but it was beating violently fast, like a wild bird trapped in a cage.

He could tell that she was ready.

Lady Killer

The veins around her neck stood out violently as Calvin dove into her and yanked out his sustenance, drawing his food to the surface and consuming it.

+1 Warp

1/34 Warp Remaining

+1 Warp

2/34 Warp Remaining

+1 Warp

3/34 Warp Remaining

…..

………..

“Warp!?” Calvin demanded, dropping Lady Grey to the carpeted floor. “I could’ve gotten warp back at monolith!”

All this build up and he could get his sustenance simply by spending time in his Siphon.

Well, at least now you know. Elliot said with the equivalent of a shrug.

Lady grey gave a gasp that was half moan half desperate gasp of air, and Calvin’s Warp began ticking back down.

2/34 Warp remaining

1/34 Warp remaining

Calvin felt his hand itch and idly glanced at his hand. He spotted the two fingers growing back at a substantial rate, visible to the naked eye. In a few seconds, his hand was whole again.

0/34 Warp remaining

I see. That’s why I got hungry.

Calvin had gotten hungry for the first time in his undead life because he’d been both outside the Siphon and wounded for the first time ever, putting a strain on his Warp reserves. If he didn’t have the Warp Tank, he’d be some kind of…

Ravenous undead constantly looking to feed. I see. This can be managed as long as I make regular visits to the siphon.

Calvin wiggled his regenerated fingers, then shrugged.

“Well, since we’re here,” He said before grabbing the Lady Grey’s neck again.

+1 Warp

***Sesha Grey***

Sesha sat with her hands folded over each other, hiding her fingernails from the guards who were investigating the attack. She was very self-conscious about the way they were frayed at the edges.

“So this dashing older man shows up at your house, reduces your stepmother to a drooling vegetable, and you didn’t see any of it?”

Sesha shook her head.

“Mother doesn’t let me in when she’s talking to visitors. I was talking to his maids in the kitchen. They were very pretty. Sisters, I think.”

“Do you have any description of the man in question other than ‘dashing’?” The guard asked with a sigh.

“Umm…very dashing?” Sesha said meekly. “He was very handsome…For an older man..I mean.”

“And you, Lady Grey? What did you see?” the guard asked, turning to the older woman. Her steel grey hair had a streak of white down the side, and she seemed to be rocking herself back and forth.

“Whatever Sesha said. Sesha is right,” The woman said in a whimper.

“There also appears to be a bottle of what used to be Gredden extract in the sitting room. If the contents of that bottle had made it into anyone here, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Does anyone want to explain what happened with it? Gredden extract is a highly controlled substance.

“One of his maids got a bottle off the top shelf, next to the baking supplies, and brought it to them,” Sesha said.

That day I stole the keys to the baking cupboard and ate some chocolates…I almost tasted it until I got scared Mother would notice.

A cold shiver went down Sesha’s spine.

“Is that what happened?” The guard asked Mother.

“Sesha is right,” Mother said, continuing to rock back and forth.

“Was that your Gredden extract?” The guard asked.

Mother nodded.

“What happened to it?”

“Beran drank it all, then he bled money. I tried to drink it up, but it made the demon come.”

“Well,” The guard said, tossing down his pen. “That’s all I needed to hear. Mrs Grey we’d like to bring you down to the yard to answer a few more questions.

Two large men grabbed Mother by either arm and began escorting her to the door.

“Wait!” Sesha called, standing. “What do I do?”

The Captain frowned for a moment before his face made an ‘ah’ expression. He reached down and slipped the keyring off Mother’s waist before tossing it to her.

“Live your life.”

Macronomicon