Blind World (The Onyx Fox Saga Book 1)

by H. M. Rutherford

  She sighed and walked off into the darkness.

  —

  Dante’s foot tapped against the leg of the diner booth as he stared intently at the untouched burger in front of him. The dark sky outside made the neon lights around the building seem harsher as they shined at him. His fists clenched closely together on top of the table as his frustrated thoughts ran rampant in his mind. The only thing the press seemed to talk about was this Jack Blevins guy and how crazy he sounded. And now they had it plastered all over the papers about Jack’s pending trial. But Dante felt in his gut that Jack might have been on to something about Henry Jekyll. Should I speak up?

  No, they would throw him in the clink after confessing to starting some of the fires. Or maybe they’d send him to the madhouse. Noticing his steaming hands, he shoved them in his pockets and let out an exhausted sigh. No, I shouldn’t say anything, he decided. He still had no idea what was really going on. He thought about Jack’s claims again.

  Dante knew that Jekyll and Frankie had worked together and were good friends, but he couldn’t imagine his older brother being wrapped up in something as big as this. No, if Jekyll really was a bad guy, Frankie wouldn’t have even bothered with him.

  But maybe Frankie could have been a part of this.

  Dante gulped down his guilt as the thought rose like a reflex. But he couldn’t deny the thought; Frank hadn’t been very close to his family in the past five years. Loved, of course, but close? No. Frank had always thought of them as too religious. All Dante knew was that Frankie had loved his job and had always been excited for a new scientific breakthrough. But he didn’t know how low Frankie may have been willing to stoop in the name of science. So, maybe everything Jack had said was true.

  But then again, maybe Jack was the real culprit.

  Dante groaned, his head aching from trying to piece it all together on an empty fuel tank. Glancing out of the window at the setting sun, he tried to clear his thoughts, but they kept swimming. He knew that if Suzette had been there at that moment, she would’ve done anything in her power to make him feel better. Knowing that left a warm, tingling sensation in Dante’s chest before the pain of the memory of yesterday’s events replaced that feeling. He quickly choked it down, reminding himself that he did the right thing letting Suz go. It had been a whole day since he’d broken up with her, but he felt like it had happened only a few minutes ago. The image of her anger and hurt were always picking at the back of his mind, demanding attention.

  It’s worth it, he deluded himself. For her safety. If Jekyll was the villain, Dante feared how far he would reach into the last Stein’s life to accomplish whatever it was he wanted. Best to keep Suzette out of it. And if Jack was the villain, he clearly had a target on the Steins, either by coincidence or something more sinister. Dante couldn’t risk leaving Suzette in the middle of the latter. Breaking connections with her would keep her out of whatever weird thing was going on. She was so beautiful and lively that someone was sure to swoop her off her feet in a flash. She would have everything to live for: her family, her faith, and a man who would protect her.

  And yet, God’s left me with nothing, Dante thought grimly. He had no friends worth staying for, his family was dead, and his future was dead without Suzette. He knew getting a new home would mean a chance to start over, but how far could you get when you have the possibility of blowing up your friends at the drop of a hat? People meant emotional connections. Emotions meant a lack of control. He didn’t want that. Not again. He sighed in despair. Life seemed meaningless to him now. What was the point of any of it?

  Uncle Virgil had told him that it would all be alright, that God would be there for him to turn to.

  Dante scoffed to himself. What God? The God who took everything from me in the first place? That’s no God. That’s a tyrant. He paused a moment, hollowed out by the revelation of his new God. This new God was nothing like the one his parents had told him about. Where was that God?

  A simple answer came to mind: He never existed in the first place.

  Dante, for once in his life, felt the gravity of his own isolated existence. He felt no purpose, no drive. He had no one to live for; no family, no woman, and no God. And something told him he didn’t think he’d miss God too much.

  I’ll miss you the most, Suz. His heart sank. She was almost safe, but now all that was left was to get himself out of there, far away from her. He never thought he’d be thankful to see his uncle Virgil, but he felt eager now more than ever to go to him. Dante didn’t like the thought of moving into a city, but it was all he had. It all felt so fast. Just a week ago, he’d confessed to some vigilante that he would be marrying the love of his life. Now, he was leaving in the morning to drive up north and start a whole new life…without her.

  But there was one last place he had to visit first.

  —

  “I don’t get it, Dorian.” Henry repositioned his phone with one hand, setting it back between his ear and shoulder while his other rummaged through his drawers. “How long will I have to be gone?” He yanked out a few shirts and tossed them on the bed.

  “Indefinitely.”

  The singsong in the actor’s voice bit into Henry from the speaker in his ear and he let out an aggravated sigh. “But why?” He paused and leaned against his drawer. “We made sure that evidence was certain to land Blevins the blame. He’ll be stuck behind bars for a long time. We both know that!”

  “You think that’s my concern?” Dorian tittered. “No, my concern is everyone else but Mr. Blevins. “We still don’t know what that Prynne woman is capable of right now, first off. What if she’s the one who killed that guy Monday morning? Want to risk seeing what happens if she gets a hold of you?”

  Henry’s finger tapped the wood of his dresser. “No.”

  “No,” Dorian agreed. “What about Frank? What if Frank finds you? Want to see what happens then?”

  Henry gulped and steadied the phone with a shaky hand. “No.”

  “Oh, but Frank shouldn’t concern you as much. What should concern you is what comes after Frank. Do you know what happens if Frank doesn’t hurt you?”

  Henry looked around, wetting his dry mouth. “Uh—”

  “Abraham Van Helsing will show up right behind him. And that’s if he hasn’t killed Frank already.” The actor laughed again. “If Frank’s dead, don’t be surprised if you’re next on Van Helsing’s list.”

  Henry’s blood went cold. He hurried over to the closet and started jerking shirts and pants off of their hangers.

  “Don’t worry, though. If anyone tried to kill you, I’m sure Edward would come to your defense. But we can’t risk anyone publicly seeing him right now.” Dorian’s words were cheerful. “For now, we’ll get you tucked away somewhere else and then fly you back down for the trial.”

  Henry’s mind raced as he thought of any other loose ends, anything that could destroy him in court. When it hit him, he stopped. “Wait, my boss! He’ll speak out against me for sure. He’ll tell them all about my problems and my episodes. He’ll—”

  “Calm down, Henry. Jarvis Stevenson is no longer a problem.”

  The implications made Henry bristle. He sat down on the mattress to steady himself. “Did you…?”

  “Of course, doctor! It had to be done. We couldn’t have him making you look bad. Don’t worry, though. I made it look like that letter-branding killer did it.”

  Dorian’s blitheness disgusted Henry. He felt a creaking in his bones and a pop in his rib cage, as if Edward’s very hands were set into place, prepping to rip out of Henry the moment his anger got the best of him. The doctor stopped and took a deep breath. It had to be done, he convinced himself. It’s for the best. He would’ve stood in Jack’s favor. With that, he let out a sigh. “Alright.”

  As if sensing the struggle to keep Hyde at bay, Dorian chuckled. “I’ll meet you at the airport. Don’t be too long.” The line went dead.

  Jekyll shoved his phone in his pocket and started setting all o
f his scattered clothes into the small suitcase. When he finished, he zipped it up and headed out the bedroom door. The farther he walked down the hall, the more he slowed, crinkling his nose as a horrid smell reached him. When he got to the top of the stairs, he stopped, staring at a trail of grime that started from the front door and led to his den to the right. A horrible anxiety filled him as he made his way down the steps. Setting down his bag by the door, he took a step closer to the den.

  Lightning lit up the stormy night sky outside, illuminating a shadow that moved in the dark room.

  Henry’s heart raced. He tiptoed back up to his room, opened his nightstand drawer, and pulled out his pistol. Walking back out, he quietly made his way down the stairs, his hand twitching on the gun as he followed the rotting smell. Once he stood in the doorway of his den, he froze in horror.

  A half-rotten female corpse sat propped upon his couch. Her blonde hair hung in nappy tendrils around her face. A pale, silk nightgown clung to her frail form, showing tears and muddy stains. Though the sight of her was repulsive, she looked almost like a prim and proper marionette, forced to sit nicely.

  He took a few shaky steps closer. When he recognized her, he shuttered and gagged. “Liza!” His legs wobbled.

  “Liiiiiizzzaaaaa!”

  Henry jumped at the echoing roar and whirled around. His weak legs fell out from under him and he toppled backward.

  The hideous monster that was supposed to be Frank towered over him, his snarl deformed. The look of hatred in his glowing blue eyes burned more than when he had first arisen.

  “S-st-stay back!” Henry warned. He propped himself up on one elbow and held up the gun, though the tremors in his body kept the sights from falling on any target.

  Frank knocked the minuscule object away with ease. Then he dropped down onto his knuckles like an ape, right into Henry’s face. “Liiiiizzzaaaa!” he shouted.

  Henry could feel the tears flowing freely from his eyes. “I know!” he sobbed.

  Frank let out a roar at the response and snatched Henry up. “LIIIIIIIZZZAAAAAAA!”

  “I’m sorry, Frankie!” Henry blubbered as Frank shook him. “I didn’t kill her! I promise! I would never! It wasn’t me! Please believe me!”

  Frankie snarled at him a moment, then threw him down and turned to the body. His taut shoulders fell a moment and he scooped up Liza’s corpse with a strange, human-like gentleness. When he turned, his jagged mouth was set in a tormented frown. But at the sight of Henry, it snarled again and he yelled insistently.

  Baffled, Henry only stared, trying to make sense of the creature.

  The monster tried again and cried mournfully, “Liiiiizzzzaaaaa!”

  The doctor gazed at the mutilated corpse in front of him until he realized what his old friend was asking. Pity and disgusted warred within him. He shook his head and dared to whisper, “No.”

  Frank staggered back a step, mortified.

  “No, Frankie,” Henry insisted, trying his hardest to be stern. “I can’t do it—I won’t do it! Liza is dead and there’s nothing we can do about it! I won’t replicate the experiment! It was a mistake!”

  Henry watched as the beast’s face slowly molded back into anger. Frank quickly turned and set the body back down on the couch. When he faced Henry, he stood tall, his giant fists clenched by his sides. His sheer size was intimidating enough. “Liiiizzzaaa!” he insisted.

  For a moment, Henry found only enough strength to rattle his head in opposition until he was able to muster more. “No. I won’t do it.”

  Frank’s eyes bulged. Roaring, he threw his arms up over his head. Henry gasped and stumbled back. Frank drove his fists down through the coffee table, shattering it to bits with one swipe. Then he reeled back up and yelled at Henry furiously.

  Henry ran out of the room. He scooped up his bag on the way out into the pouring rain, slammed the door behind him, and jumped in his car, revving the engine as quick as he could. A loud splintering sound drew his attention to the house.

  Frank stood at the demolished front door that sat half on the ground, half on the now-crooked hinges. The monster’s wild eyes locked onto Henry through the blurry windshield. He let out a yell and charged.

  Henry whipped the car around and made his way down the driveway, his foot falling heavy on the gas. He glanced in the rearview mirror. Through the rain and the gravel his tires kicked up, he could see the beast as it ran, though it couldn’t keep up. Frank’s roars of anger, desperation, and mourning filled Henry’s ears as he drove away into the night.

  Canto XI

  Suzette leaned against the cobblestone railing of the bridge and stared at the bench where she and Dante used to sit, blinking through the rain as it pelted her face. The single lamppost flickered ever so slightly as it dimly illuminated the little spot on the bridge. Everything else seemed to disappear, shrouded by a veil of darkness. Even in the storm it would have been a romantic, sentimental spot. No doubt it would have been where Dante would’ve proposed. She could see it now: the both of them sitting there, talking, laughing, enjoying each other’s presence. Then he would have gotten down on one knee, professed his love, and asked her to marry him.

  Now the idea seemed so far away.

  The brusqueness of his detachment from her stuck on her brain like a stain and she felt herself frustrated all over again. The spot that had once held a fond memory now left a bad taste. She scrambled up on the railing and walked along it, holding her arms out to each side for balance. Peering down, the river was impossible to see, but she could hear the gurgling of the rushing waters even through the rain. The more she teetered along the edge, never too far from the danger that waited below her, the more she could feel herself grinning, imagining what Dante would have said. She could almost hear him scolding her to get down.

  But that’s all over now.

  The thought made Suzette frown. A hollowness filled her as the reality of the breakup sunk in. She had never thought of life without Dante—never thought she’d have to. They had had so many hopes and dreams for their future and he just threw it all aside like they had meant nothing to him. She’d been so certain he felt as strongly for her as she had for him. How could she have been so devastatingly wrong? She thought getting the chemical had flipped her life upside down, but being broken up with really did a number on her that she wasn’t expecting. As numbness set in, she wondered if she would ever have those hopes and dreams to share with someone else.

  A strange sensation, one she recognized, shattered Suzette’s heavy thoughts. She wasn’t alone. Curious, she turned fully out toward the river, trying to decipher anything through the darkness. After her eyes adjusted, she could just make out the huge shape of the river, the banks that lined it, and the thick woods beyond that. She waited some more until a huge figure stepped out of the trees near the far left. Intrigued, she cupped her hand over her eyes, shielding them from the downpour. The figure looked too big to be human, but too small to be a bear. Something inside of her pulled toward it like a magnet. She shivered against the feeling.

  “Suzette?”

  Shocked, her head whipped around.

  Dante stood by the bench, his hands out steadily, his eyes wide with fear. “Suzette, what are you doing?” His voice shook.

  She felt her cheeks flare. “Dante, what are you—”As she turned to him, a stone under her foot wobbled. The traction in her shoe slipped against the smooth, wet surface of the railing and stole her balance. She flailed her arms out and squealed as she felt herself teeter back. She waited as her arms waved, daring to hope that her new-found powers would save her. All for naught.

  She saw Dante dart toward her, but the stormy clouds replaced him as butterflies filled Suzette’s stomach. She watched Dante’s face appear over the edge of the bridge before icy darkness consumed her vision.

  —

  The sound of the splash bounced in Dante’s ears and ripped through his body, leaving nothing but a crippling sense of despair. He searched the darkness as he
leaned over the railing, only to find nothing.

  “Suzette!”

  He waited for the sound of her cries, but the only thing that answered back was the roar of the mighty river and the sprinkling of the rain.

  Pushing himself back from the railing, he sprinted toward the end of the bridge. When the cobblestone met the grass, he felt around with his feet for where the ground began to slope down. When he found it, he started the difficult traverse, using his sneakers to test each rock and easing himself down with his trembling hands. “Suzette, I’m coming!” As he continued to descend, his grip became looser on the slick stones and his shoes fumbled to find traction. He glanced down into the nothingness below him and felt a helplessness overcome him, knowing he wasn’t even halfway down. He couldn’t do this on his own. With a groan, he climbed the short distance back up and returned to the bench.

  As the light hit him, Dante noticed a thick steam rolling off his skin and stopped, taking in several ragged, deep breaths until it began to subside. The effort to hold back his agony made his knees wobble and he plopped down on the bench. He pulled his phone out and dialed the police.

  So much for keeping her safe.

  —

  Abraham suppressed a cough and steadied his hands, letting the sights of his crossbow fall on the monster, only to have them waver again. He let out a quiet breath and concentrated. Finally, he thought. After getting used to his newly heightened senses and trying to fight off his cold, he started to feel normal again. He had tracked the beast to Jekyll’s house and watched as it chased the doctor in his car until the monster had eventually veered off into the woods, unable to keep up. Now it stood in the dark woods, pacing around with a low, macabre moan that could barely be heard over the rushing waters of the river. Abraham was far from the creature, but he could see it perfectly with his new vision.

  A loud splash hit Abraham’s ears, making him twitch and unsettling his aim again. The monster didn’t notice the sound.