Chapter 5
* Some time later *
~ Hannibal POV ~
When I returned to my house I felt happiness. I did not expect that today I would meet two of my five close friends William.
I wiped my face glad that our meeting was pleasant and peaceful. I was able to learn a lot during our conversations about her as well as Hadrian.
Hadrian, like me, was a psychiatrist but also heads up the profiling of criminals. It was apparent that although he doesn't focus on the subject of witches he certainly has a certain amount of knowledge towards their work.
I went into the kitchen to make myself a cup of tea before bed and hide the dessert I got for her in the refrigerator.
I'll have to ask her for the recipe next time. I headed to my room with after I washed my mug before grabbing my pajamas and heading to the bathroom.
I looked at my notes to see if I only had Will for an appointment but found I had two clients one at 10:30 a.m. and the other at 11:40 a.m.
I decided to write to them about canceling their session for my personal reasons. I am in a very good mood and don't want them to spoil it for me.
I have a meeting with my ''friends'' at the opera house and although I would prefer to stay home I have to go to it because I won't hear the end of it from them.
A warm shower woke me up a little, but I fell into a peaceful sleep without any problems, hoping that tomorrow will pass without any rowdy problems.
* Two days later *
~ Arabella POV ~
I was sitting on the couch going through photos from Will while stroking Pandore fur. On the table I had my laptop where I searched for characters in my database.
I may not be 100% in witchcraft but I still knew the most important things and the characters that were there.
While I couldn't read my hand I understood rituals, creams, healing herbs, crystals and the meaning of tarot cards deeper I didn't delve further into the arts of witchcrafting.
I rubbed my eyes before looking at my laptop. I managed to recognize two of the five signs that were a sign of love and protection.
I wrote them down on a piece of paper as well as their meaning then found that the third was a health sign.
However, I couldn't find the other two, I could see on the screen how the different signs showed up without a row of similarities found.
I have a feeling that I will have to contact one of my knowledgeable friends. Vitani Azrael is a self-defense teacher as well as a trained witch. I have known her for six years now and I can say that we are close to each other.
She has helped me several times during my work and her knowledge of such symbols is three times greater than mine.
She was the person who taught me more about signs and tarot. She is friendly to my friends but I can't call them friends they just don't click like the two of us but that doesn't bother me or her.
She also has a group of friends who us ( mostly me ) but we can't call ourselves friends. I took my phone to call her and after three beeps she answered
'' Hello '' she said
'' Hi Vi, I hope I'm not disturbing '' I said focused on the pictures
'' No Ara, I'm not doing anything important right now '' she replied
'' Listen Will asked me to help him with a case because he recognized witch marks on the murder victims. He knew that I had knowledge of them and thanks to my base was able to recognize three of the five '' I said
'' What are they? Would you like her to check them out too '' I said and I could hear her get up because her floor sometimes creaks
'' These are the signs: first was love, then protection and health '' I said taking a picture before sending it to her
'' I can't recognize the fourth and fifth signs '' I added
'' I have them, give me a moment what I associate them with. I just have to take the answer book '' she said
'' Were any organs taken '' she asked
'' First the heart, then in the second took the kidneys, in the third took the liver, in the fourth took the lungs and in the fifth nothing. They were surprised at first, but it turned out that this person had sciences in drugs. Each of the victims were women between the ages of 20 and 35 '' I replied
'' I have signs, the black is for wealth and the fifth is for luck. If I am right I believe that this person is preparing for a ritual offering to demons but I am not sure to which one. I suspect that the fifth offering will come up because the gift was not good/healthy. I know there may be 4 more signs that signify joy, strength, wisdom and devotion '' she said before I got the notification
'' I sent you a picture of these pages so you can read more about it '' she added
'' This person also cuts the vocal cords of each victim '' I added recalling this detail. I raised my hand in the air to stop Hadrian from speaking to me. I wanted to focus completely on what she was telling me.
'' I will go through the books if to check it out but I suspect there is nothing to it. Better to be sure than to regret it later. I will write you if I find anything. There is a chance that he is a sadist and cuts the vocal cords to keep people from screaming when he opens them out alive '' she said
'' Thank you for your help Vi and I will wait to hear from you '' I said with a little smile glad to have a trail. However, it worried me that we have a psychopath and sociopath on our hands
'' No problem, good to hear '' he replied
'' Bye '' I said
'' I have the meaning of these five symbols: as the first was love, the second protection, the third health and with Vitani's help I know that four is wealth and five is happiness. There will also be a sixth which is joy, the seventh is strength, the eighth is wisdom and the ninth is devotion '' I said
'' Vi says that a person with the fifth sign will appear again because the person must be healthy because the organs that this person or persons take they use as victims '' I continued before giving to my database the data that Vi sent me
'' Will just called me and the fifth person appeared and this time they don't have a stomach '' he said
'' If they think it works and if it works they will not stop killing. Will says that Brian and Jimmy suspect that this person is or was a surgeon through their precision cutting '' he added
'' Did this woman also have her vocal cords cut out? '' I asked
'' Yes '' he replied
'' Have you eaten yet? '' he asked
'' No, they want us to come to the office? '' I said
'' Yes but I told him you have to finish doing something so '' he said showing me a plate
'' I love you '' I replied taking a plate from him
'' I also packed one for Will and Hannibal if they felt like it '' he said
'' Yummy '' I said with a smile
'' I picked up something from ciepie in all our years of acquaintance '' he said sitting down next to me
'' I'll still make a boss out of you '' I said before taking a drink of Pepsi
'' So we have signs as the first was love, the second protection, the third health and with Vitani's help I know that four is wealth and five is happiness. There will still be a sixth which is joy, the seventh is strength, the eighth is wisdom and the ninth is devotion, the organ is sacrifice for someting, we don't know why their voice sides are cut out. Vitani said she will look for more information '' he concluded
'' True and if we don't catch this person these killings will continue '' I added
'' The victims are random so we have no government support '' he said
'' There is a chance I can see something. However, it worried me that we have a psychopath and sociopath on our hands '' I argued
'' You know it's dangerous for you '' he said concerned
'' I'll do it up to two times and when you see that it shows signs of not being calm you will pull me away from the body '' I said knowing that using my empathy that way could have a bad effect on me
'' Let's go, the sooner we go there the sooner we get home '' I said standing up
'' Ikar, Hades, Pandora Come! '' I gave them a commode taking my black jacket
'' Let's get this shit show over with '' I thought sitting down in the passenger seat