Title: Blood of Angels
Fandom: Count Cain
Rating: PG
Length: 902 words
Content notes: Choose Not to Warn
Author notes: Also for gen_bingo prompt: character death
Summary: Cain and Riff's visit is interrupted by a body falling from the sky



When Riff processed the letters, Master Cain came over. “How boring. ” He picked one up and glimpsed at the content, and threw it at Riff, “I’ve accepted this.”

It was an invitation from Sir Applegate to visit his newly renovated garden, boasted to be “the nearest place to heaven”. “Are you sure? ” Riff asked. Master Cain had never shown any interest in gardening, except for those plants that could kill in various ways.

“When am I not? ” Master Cain crossed his arms. “Now that I have helped you finish these tasks, I have more important tasks for you . ”

Riff tidied up his desk. “How may I serve you, Master? ”

“I am bored. Entertain me. ” Master Cain left for the corridor, and Riff followed him as always..

The Applegate's garden was beautiful, with blossoming flowers from exotic origin matching the masterful marble angel sculptures. Master Cain picked a creamy white flower, and played with it in his hands. “Do you know that this flower can blind and kill people when eaten? Queen of the Night, what a good name.”

“You should not be so blaze with them,” Riff watched Master Cain’s action carefully.

Master Cain laughed, “Only you will worry about a poison master.” He threw the flower away.

“We’re leaving tomorrow morning,” Master Cain said, after Sir Applegate once again tried to trap Master Cain in his relentless bragging about his garden. Riff nodded and called for a carriage.

“But wait, you haven’t seen…” A thumping and chirping sound interrupted Lady Applegate’s words.

Riff pushed Master Cain to safety and covered him with his body. When it remained quiet after several minutes, Riff stood and helped Master Cain up, who raised an eyebrow at him. “My shoulders hurt. ”

“I apologize, ” Riff said and checked over Master Cain for any injury.

“Help! ” Lady Applegate screamed, who now stood before a naked body of a young woman, with her head crushed by the impact. Master Cain examined the body with interest.

So much for a vacation, Riff sighed.

In the following week Master Cain threw himself into medieval bestiary and old travelogues of the Eastern world, navigated along several dark alleys and oddity shops, and had the family and servants interviewed, except Lady Applegate, who collapsed due to the shock and declined visitors. Riff stayed by his side making sure that he ate and slept well. Curiously, the birds were noisy throughout the night, as if they had sensed the disturbances.

One midnight Master Cain said, “Let's go, ” Riff took the bag he already prepared for these nightly excursions, and put a warm coat on Master Cain who smirked at him, but complied and led Riff

to the dungeon of the Applegate Mansion.

Riff frowned at the strong smell of rotten meat, and stepped before Master Cain to block him of the sight of piles of human body parts. Some of them were sewn together in bizarre arrangement, like one with two arms attached to the chest, and a body with three legs and five arms. Master Cain walked towards the pile and smiled, “Exactly what I expected.”

“Who and why did they do that? ” Riff frowned, and Master Cain smoothed his eyebrow.

“You guess? ” Master Cain breathed on him. Then he bent down to examine one of the unnatural construction. “Mr Applegate not only wants to master the nature in his garden, but also the humanity. Everyone praise the Applegate’s generous sponsorship of homes for lost girls, and if the girls are ungrateful enough to disappear, nobody miss them ”

Riff frowned. “So the dead girl… ” He felt bile stockpiling in his throat, and silently wished her soul free from suffering.

“Yes, ” Master Cain said. He walked further inside, and Riff saw several broken glass containers large enough to hold a full grown human adult. He bent down and saw blood stains, feathers and fur inside. “Does he… ”

“The fool wants to create angels, but he neglects whether his limited mental capacity can match his ambition, ” Master Cain said. “Now let’s get him. ”

Mr Applegate's scream from the garden hastened Riff and Master Cain's steps. Riff pulled out his pistol when a giant bird woman looked up from tearing Mr Applegate apart, whose scream died down. Master Cain shook his head and Riff put down his gun arm. The bird woman tore Mr Applegate's heart and threw it into her mouth. Then she flew away.

Back home, Riff received the police inquiry into Mr Applegate's death in telegraph. Without asking, he drafted a polite decline in reply . Master Cain half sat on his chair arm and said, “You're getting smarter. ”

“I am glad my performance passes your inspection, ” Riff said, filling Master Cain's cup of tea. He went to the window when something clapped against it, but only caught a small white spot far in the sky. Strong north wind ambushed him, and swayed the trees’ bare branches.

Winter is coming, Riff thought. Tomorrow I should set up a bird shelter in the backyard. Miss Merryweather’ll be delighted.

Riff dreamed about a bird with sad eyes that night. He tried to hold it, but his hands were turned into wings too. Master Cain was saying something, but his could only chirp in reply. When he woke up his heartbeat was still racing. Then Master Cain's summon came and he submerged his feeling and dream to tend to him, but the dream remained, never forgotten.