Bloodborne – Something Wicked

Chapter Five

"the Beast Within"

Jack's body twitched, air rapidly filling his lungs as the final moments prior to his death flashed before his eyes. The sensation of blood sticking to his skin was replaced by tight muscles in an instant. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Jack pulled himself into a sitting position. Somehow, he was weaker than normal. His muscles still ached and his eyes were sore. Contorting his spine, he cracked his neck and his back. Had he been resurrected quicker than normal? Was it a result of that cleric's magic?

Whatever the reason, Jack didn't dwell on the issue for too long. He was in a jail cell, likely underneath the cathedral, and had been stripped of everything. Clearly, his enemies had learned from their past mistakes. And yet, they had been kind enough to leave the lantern outside his cell ablaze.

Taking hold of the bars of his cell, Jack pulled himself up, onto his feet.

A dog slammed into the bars on the opposite side, its teeth lashing out for Jack's fingers as it attempted to slide its head into the cell. Jack stumbled backward, startled, before he met the dog's bright, possessed eyes.

"Noose," Jack sighed, watching his hound struggle to reach him. Eventually, he gave up and proceeded to pace back and forth before Jack's cell, eying his master all the while. "Come on, buddy, it's me. You DO remember me, don't you?"

Noose shook its head, snarling viciously.

Jack stepped closer to the bars, pointing a finger at a table across the way, "See those keys, Noose? Those keys on that desk? Could you pass them to me, boy?"

Noose looked up at Jack before turning to look at the desk as if he were contemplating something. Without warning, Jack lashed an arm out to grab Noose by the tail, pulling him toward the cell. The dog yipped and thrashed before Jack's hands found his head. With a single, swift and forceful motion, Jack snapped the dog's neck and the hound went limp.

Gently resting the body on the floor, Jack muttered, "I'm sorry, Noose. You deserved a better fate."

After taking a brief moment of silence, Jack dug his fingers into the dog's jaws, swiftly removing a loose fang from the hound's mouth. "I never did want to have to do that. A warrior is meant to take trophies from his prey, not his friends."

Jack eyed the tooth, scraping it against a bar of his cell to clean it of blood, before carefully wrapping his arm around the cell's door and wedging the sharp end of the tooth into the lock. An awkward lock pick, no doubt, but it would have to do.

He heard a door swing open followed by hurried footsteps. Pulling away from the door, Jack curled his fingers to conceal the tooth. In a flash, Luna appeared before his cell.

Jack stiffened, eying the woman curiously as she examined the scene around her, "Oh, Jack...your dog...I'm so sorry...and here I thought..."

"I don't give a shit what you thought," Jack hissed through bared teeth, stepping closer to the bars. "Because of your little crusade, two of my dogs are dead."

"Jack, I know how you must hurt, but please, for once, just listen to me!" Luna spoke hurriedly. "Let me help you!"

"You can help me by getting me out of this cell," Jack demanded.

Luna took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, but I cannot do that. I told the others I was going down to make sure Noose didn't eat you, so if you suddenly show up, out of your cell, all eyes will be on me."

Jack eyed her for a long silent moment before shifting his gaze to the table beyond her. Luna noticed this and turned to see what had caught his eye.

Without warning, Jack lashed an arm out out of his cell, grabbing Luna's collar and pulling her back, into the bars. Keeping her head pressed against the metal, he drew Noose's tooth, roughly placing it against her throat.

"Jack, stop this, please!" Luna begged, struggling against his grip.

"Not until I'm free! See that key on the table? Kick it over to me," Jack spat.

"What? Jack, you cannot possibly..." the huntress started.

"Do it or I'll shove this tooth down your throat!" Jack growled, an animal glow in his eyes as he bared his teeth with anger. He had never felt such an uncontrollable surge of emotion before...was it the jail cell?

Carefully, Luna stretched her leg out to catch the key ring with her heel. A swift pull threw the keys to Jack's feet. Jack forced Luna away from the bars only to slam her back into them. He then pushed her against the table, throwing her off balance and causing her to slump to the floor. Quickly, Jack took the keys and unlocked his jail cell, switching Noose's tooth for the key itself as he took Luna by the collar once more and slammed her against the wall.

"Jack, you have to stop this!" Luna pleaded. "You're driving yourself mad!"

Enraged for no discernible reason, Jack took Luna by the face and smashed her head against the wall before switching to the other side of her and smashing her face down against the table. Luna opened her mouth to beg further, but Jack forced his knee into her jaw, throwing her head back against the wall once more. Luna's face went blank as she slumped against the floor.

Breathing heavily, adrenaline coursing through his veins, Jack paced before the unconscious huntress, waiting for her to make a move. Something inside him, something in his blood, was itching for another fight.

"Get up!" Jack finally growled. When he elicited no response, he kicked her in the stomach before repeating himself, "Get up!"

When still she did not respond, Jack turned, throwing everything off the table with a single swipe. He slammed his fist down on the wood, his muscles tense as he struggled to control his breathing. A single droplet of blood dripped from his face and landed on the tabletop.

Surprised, Jack wiped his nose with a finger, pulling away to find his nose was bleeding. But why? Had he hit his head on something without even realizing?

Gradually, his breathing returned to normal and he was able to relax his muscles. Standing straight, he cleared his throat. Remembering he was naked, he turned to look at Luna, who was still unconscious.

Kneeling down beside the woman, he began to undress her, searching her pockets for hidden weapons. All he found was a flintlock pistol and a dagger.

Her clothes were nothing fancy and they weren't particularly feminine, though the breast of the shirt stood out a bit much for his liking. The boots were taller than his, and the waist tighter, but he'd have to make do until he learned what they had done with his belongings.

Once he was clothed and she the one naked, he eyed her curiously. Her joints were abnormal, almost looking as if every single one of them had been broken at one point or another. Most intriguing however was her neck. After she had fallen, it had bent into such an inhuman position. Her bones shouldn't have been able to withstand that much stress. Had be accidentally snapped her neck when he threw her against the wall? He hadn't intended to, but he HAD been surging with adrenaline.

Wishing to investigate further once his business was done, Jack dragged Luna into his jail cell before locking the door from the outside. After stroking Noose's neck once more and gently closing his companion's eyes, Jack stood tall, marching down the hallway in the direction Luna had come from.

But something still bothered him...what had caused him to go berserk on Luna? Had she injected him with something while he was unconscious? Possibly adrenaline or testosterone? That would also explain why he had woken up prematurely. Though Jack doubted Luna knew how to properly utilize a syringe. Perhaps she had fed him a beast blood pellet? If so, he vowed to never swallow one again.

The knight and the cleric were the only hunters left to deal with. Though there were, of course, Cat, Fang, and Merlin. He knew he'd have to deal with them sooner or later, but something inside him hoped it was the latter.

Hawk had mentioned that they were keeping Morgann in the Sanctuary of the church, which was likely located toward the back. Once he had returned to the nave, he examined his surroundings curiously before moving toward a door in the back. But as he neared the door, he began to hear voices, and he was quick to conceal himself.

"Shouldn't the huntress be back by now? She was only checking to make sure Mouse hadn't eaten Jack, wasn't she?" one voice said

"The hound's name is 'Noose', and I speculate she had other intentions than simply checking up on him," the second voice remarked. If his memory served, that sounded like the cleric.

"Other intentions? You're not trying to suggest..." the first voice muttered suspiciously.

"I'm not trying to suggest a thing," the cleric interrupted. "Though, I wouldn't blame her if she wished to play around with our prisoner-even if we are in a church."

"I believe we're long passed the point of keeping the grounds holy," the stranger chuckled slightly.

"I suppose you have a point," the cleric sighed. "At any rate, I'd suggest we give the woman more time."

"Very well. I don't wish to run the risk of walking in on such an act. By the way, your level of...understanding of Luna's mentality concerns me..."

"What ever do you mean?"

"I'm just saying...you almost make it sound as if you're jealous of Luna's...initiative."

"There's nothing wrong with finding attraction in your own sex, you know."

"This conversation is now over."

Cat appeared in the doorway, practically dragging her feet as her head hung low. The poor thing looked exhausted...was it the spell? Or had the cleric not allowed them to rest?

The hound turned to look at Jack, though it was clear she didn't have the energy to put up a fight. Jack backed away from the door, making sure he stayed out of the hunters' sight. He drew his blade with his right hand, pretending to take something out of his pocket with his left. Holding the imaginary treat out for the dog, Jack waited until Cat was near before lashing out and taking hold of her muzzle, holding her mouth shut. His blade came around to pierce the back of her head. The hound didn't even have time to whimper before she slumped to the floor.

Old wheels creaked as a familiar voice growled from within the room, "What do you two think your doin', standin' around and chattin'?! There's work to be done!"

Jack's eyes widened in surprise, then they narrowed in anger. Was that..?

"Well, we finished portioning the water like you asked," the cleric stuttered. Something told Jack the new arrival was the one in charge, which meant it couldn't have been...

"Then prepare the altar! Honestly, do I have to do everything around here?!" the gruff voice hissed. "And where's that girl? She's needed!"

Jack took a deep breath. There was no denying it now: it was him.

"Luna went to check on the prisoner, she'll return any moment," the cleric assured the man uneasily.

"She's needed now!" the voice insisted.

The first stranger spoke, "Do not worry; I'll fetch her."

Before any of them could move, Jack stepped out of his hiding spot and into the doorway. Raising his arm, he aimed his flintlock pistol at the newcomer's heart.

"Good 'morrow, Mr. Morgann."