Modred turned to Loomis. "I've seen this sort of thing before, Lieutenant. Those symbols carved into her

torso are part of an ancient spell designed to drain the victim of life energy in a manner that will allow the

necromancer to absorb it. Whoever killed her quite literally consumed her soul."

Modred turned to Loomis. "I've seen this sort of thing before, Lieutenant. Those symbols carved into her

torso are part of an ancient spell designed to drain the victim of life energy in a manner that will allow the

necromancer to absorb it. Whoever killed her quite literally consumed her soul."

we've got some sort of psychic vampire on our hands?"

"That's exactly what you've got, Lieutenant," Modred replied. "I understand that you've already had one

other murder just like this one?"

"That's right," said Loomis. "Paul filled you in?"

Modred nodded. "I am afraid there will be more," he said. "And soon."

"You said you've seen this sort of thing before," said Loomis, prompting him.

"Yes, in London," Modred replied. "It was the work of an unspeakably savage serial killer. An adept. A

necromancer."

"You're saying this is the same killer?" Loomis asked with a frown.

"No," said Modred. "The Whitechapel Ripper is dead. But this is the exact same pattern."

"So what are you saying, it's a copycat?"

"Worse than that, I'm afraid," said Modred. "There were similar killings in Los Angeles about two years

ago and, more recently, in Paris and in Tokyo."

"I heard about the killings in L.A.," said Loomis, "but this is the first I've heard of the ones in Paris and

Tokyo. Those damn Bureau files still haven't come through."

"When they do," said Modred, "you'll find a number of disturbing similarities between the killings in Los

Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo. And now here."

"So what have we got here, some kind of international black magic cult?" asked Loomis.

Modred nodded. "Exactly. Although the Bureau will not admit to the existence of any such group, such a

cult exists, I can assure you. I've encountered them before. They are criminal adepts who have become

seduced by the dark side of thaumaturgy. They have discovered certain very ancient spells that allow

them to absorb the life force of their victims. Each time they kill, they become stronger. And much more

dangerous."

"Jesus. Why do they do it? What are they after?"

"Power," Modred said. "Preeminence over other adepts. Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac, Lieutenant.

Given enough of it, there's almost nothing a highly skilled adept cannot do."

Loomis exhaled heavily. He signaled to the men from the meat wagon. They picked up the body and

strapped it onto a gurney.