Cause of Death: Unnatural tcod-1

by Eliza Ford

  Will was the local caterer, for want of a better word, and Em was one of his regular customers. Sure, she could get by without the red stuff, but a girl's gotta get her fix every now and then, right?

  Alina and her host of dancing vampires had the same requirements. Poor Will, business must have exploded for him lately. She hoped he was keeping up with demand. Had Alina offered him a deal he couldn't refuse, or had she coerced him into the role? Em had no idea, and that brought her to the other mystery in this whole affair.

  Until these headaches of hers had started a few weeks ago, Em could confidently say she knew everything that went down in this town, mortal or supernatural. To be laughed at by her own girlfriends for not knowing about Alina's new club and its kinky secrets was not just embarrassing, it was worrying. At first she'd thought the headaches were just that - headaches. And why would she worry? Vampires don't get migraines, they don't get brain tumors - she just thought she was working too hard.

  But when it became clearer that someone, or something, was causing the headaches Em thought it would simply be a matter of finding out who it was. That was proving to be more difficult than she'd expected, and she wasn't used to being this ineffectual. It was irritating, and it was worrying. The more Em thought about it, the more she had to admit that there was someone in town who was more powerful than her. And that thought was very unnerving.

  She'd have to talk to Jarek about it. Could he feel it too?

  Talking to Will should definitely be the next step. Will would know Alina's secrets, he might even know who this new power was. She'd love to just show up at Will's, sort it out and close the damn case, but she knew that Bec's lieutenant and Robert would probably put two and two together soon enough and the team would all be down at the warehouses looking for Will anyway. She may as well do it all on the level. Explaining her hunch about 'the dealer' connected to Alina's would be easy. It would be more challenging to lead a search for his location without revealing that she goes there every few weeks herself. But what was she saying? She loved a challenge.

  Em sighed. There she was planning to dupe Robert again. The man didn't deserve it. He might be a bit of a geek, but he was blisteringly intelligent, sophisticated, and, if she admitted it, had a sense of humor as dark as her own. She was beginning to realize his curious desires might plunge just as deeply into the dark. That was appealing. She probably owed him a little bit more than smart conversation and clever flirting. But he wasn't Nick.

  Nick wanted her to attend this family lunch he'd invited her to. What was it? A nephew's Christening, or something? Now, that was getting serious.

  And Jarek, of course, just messed up all of that...

  The slam of the bathroom door hitting the wall broke into her thoughts. Em got to her feet. The sound of slightly drunken giggles and the scuff of stumbling high heels emerged from the other side of the doorway.

  "Oops!" came Jennifer's voice, overly loud. Em went to help her friend before she walked into something pointy.

  And then there was Jennifer, Em reminded herself, and the vodka. Gotta work on that too.

  "Emilia, daaarling, you're back!" This evening Alina had squeezed her voluptuous frame into a metallic silver satin sheath dress with a split up one leg that revealed rather an off-putting amount of thigh. A black feather boa was draped around her shoulders and a ludicrously large tiara perched on her black beehived hair. The razor sharp retort that Em historically delivered whenever she met Alina died in her mouth as she surveyed the woman's outrageous outfit. Alina was just so different like this. Em doubted her father would even want her back.

  "And who have you brought us, my dear?" Alina continued, eyeing Jennifer hungrily.

  Jennifer had finally convinced Em to bring her along to the club, against Em's better judgement. It was late in the evening and Em was there to try to find Alina's live-in drug dealer, not that she was going to tell Alina that. She'd told Jennifer she could get her in, but she was on business. As soon as she was done, she'd be going. After that Jennifer had better behave herself.

  "Yes, mom," Jennifer had said, rolling her eyes, and Em had felt slightly guilty.

  "This is Jennifer. A friend of mine," said Em.

  Alina shook the end of her boa playfully under Jennifer's chin. "And isn't she an angel. Where did you get her?" she said.

  Jennifer looked pleased, and slightly bemused, but Alina threw an arm over her shoulder and squeezed her tightly. "Any friend of Emilia's is welcome here, my dear. May I steal her, Emilia? Let me give you the VIP tour, Jennifer. I'm sure you'll just adore my little place."

  Jennifer had time to flash Em an I-owe-you-one smile before Alina swept her away to the bar and into the milling throng of the club.

  Em flashed a tendril of dark energy into Alina's mind. She's mine, Alina. Don't you dare do anything to her.

  In the distance, Alina waved a hand airily in Em's direction and the thought came back to her: Keep your knickers on, Emilia. I'm just having some fun.

  Em sighed and turned to survey the club. The burlesque show had already finished, the music was loud, and the patronage were concentrating on their poisons of choice. The tables and chairs had been cleared away and the dance floor was full, grinding.

  Em let her energy flow loosely across the crowd. She was going to search the room her own way. Soul-searching, she called it. Every soul was different, and most carried the marks and scars of their owner's lives. This drug dealer, she was only assuming it was Will, would feel different. Drug dealers always did. There were others in the general populace - doctors, butchers, lawyers, plumbers - who had some darkened corners on their souls, but they were just corners. In the soul of a drug dealer that darkness was a blackness that soaked through and through. They made their living from twisting the spirits of mortals, from buying slavery and addiction with bittersweet honey, and from hiding in the shadows. That left a mark on the soul that stood out like a beacon.

  All the same, a room with this many bodies made the task a little more difficult, and Em was both annoyed and intrigued to find her headache had returned when she had entered the club. She wandered through the crowd, allowing her mind to ripple over every existence in the room. Just one gentle push at each and every mind, and then she'd pull right back if she didn't sense that dark and tell tale difference.

  It was a motley group. Most were just civilians, a range of ages, but with some decidedly twisted tendencies showing. A good number were lower vampires - mostly Alina's staff, she guessed, and ...

  Em had no idea what that was.

  That mind wasn't human, nor had it never had been. It wasn't mortal, but it didn't feel entirely vampire either. It wasn't Family, and it wasn't wolf. It wasn't...

  Em pushed a little further at the mind and shivered. Whoever it belonged to, it held more hostility than Em had ever encountered before. It wasn't a hostility based on hunger, or greed - it was hatred, Em realized. A hatred that made her decidedly uneasy. She pulled her thoughts back quickly, but even as she did, she was sure the mind had not been aware of her presence.

  She scanned the crowd using her eyes instead of her mind, and began moving toward the corner of the room where she'd felt the ... whatever it was.

  There were quite a collection of Alina's vampires there. Her muscled dancers were writhing together, all open shirts and tight jeans, and short skirts and bra tops. The doorman was there, standing to one side, a dark coloured drink in one hand, a girl pressed against his side. He stared at Em, and smiled thinly. He nodded toward the center of the group of dancers.

  Em walked closer and then...

  "Oof!" She'd walked right into a girl in a black net dress, who stepped aside to reveal Raeisa wrapped around - oh god - Jennifer.

  Jennifer giggled, but Raeisa wiped a hand across her lips and started moving toward Em. Em felt the rest of the vampires in the group focus their attention on the pair of them. She heard Jennifer giggle again, and then, as Raeisa's fingertips brushed against Em's skin, the headache Em
had been holding back exploded in a searing, burning burst of white hot noise so violently Em staggered and had to close her eyes.

  She pushed out wildly and felt Raeisa stumble back. There was so much pain in her head, and then in one shocking instant, it disappeared until just the usual headache was left there, as if nothing had happened.

  Raeisa stared at Em for a second or two, a very small smile curling around her lips. Em pushed with her mind again, and met the same unworldly hatred she'd felt earlier. Yes, there was no doubt about it now. Raeisa was the source of the hatred, and probably the headache too. But then Raeisa shrugged, and slung an arm around Jennifer, the two of them pulsing in time to the music. Had she even felt Em's mind touch?

  The vampires in the group were still watching Em closely. Em glanced at the doorman. He looked at her darkly and shook his head almost imperceptibly. Em took one more look at Raeisa, and felt the tension in the watching vampires rise sharply. She turned away.

  What the hell was that? wondered Em. What kind of bitch was Raeisa, and did Alina know what she was? Alina had introduced Raeisa as her favorite, remembered Em. But then she'd seemed nervous when Raeisa arrived during their talk after the killings. The vampires had seemed frightened just now. Of Raeisa? The red headed girl had seemed completely unaware of Em's searching energies pushing at her mind. Em had been pretty ruffled by whatever had caused that blast of pain in her head. The gentle push she'd been 'soul searching' the room with earlier was probably a less than subtle thrust when she tested Raeisa just then. Surely, any creature with any amount of power would have felt that! But Raeisa had just shrugged.

  Em didn't have time for this right now. She was here to find this dealer. Raeisa could wait. She keep an eye on her, maybe send Jarek to sort her out. The dealer would be able to give her more information about Raeisa and Alina's relationship to her - so long as she asked him nicely, of course. Now she just had to find him.

  She focused her mind, and the headache subsided to its usual dull murmur.

  There he was. Not in a corner as she'd been half expecting, but right out in the open, leaning against the bar. Em pushed her way through the people gathered around him and suddenly stopped short. She hadn't actually expected her hypothesis to be right.

  She did know this drug dealer. He was her dealer.

  Em took a deep breath as the man turned a happily surprised smile toward her. "Em!" he exclaimed. "I've missed you. Let me buy you a drink."

  Em stepped in and kissed him on the cheek. She whispered into his ear, "Will, we need to talk."

  Em, Nick and Jarek stood outside an old warehouse at the end of a narrow alley. The alley ran down to the business end of the harbor. The marinas full of white super yachts, the boardwalk restaurants and cafes were way up the other end of the waterway. Down here it was all rotting fishing trawlers, barges spilling oil and old dinghies rocking against the seaweed covered harbor walls. There was a smell about the place, an old weary smell of things decaying. It was in the water, and in the buildings all around the water's edge.

  Em had told Robert of her suspicions about a dealer associated with Alina's club. Her boss had quickly set the wheels in motion. A few meetings with Bec's lieutenant boyfriend and some others from the narcotics division and they'd all given the go ahead for a chat with Will. He wasn't the main picture, narcotics had said. Small fry compared to the meth heads and crack dealers in the main gangs. Talking with Will wouldn't disrupt any of their existing investigations, so pathology were free to step right in.

  "Generous of them," Robert had muttered in disgust. He didn't do bureaucracy very well. "I'm glad to know our quest for justice and truth doesn't inconvenience their 'further investigations'."

  He looked at Em over the messy collection of files on his desk. He was catching up on some paperwork.

  "Take Nick and go pay this dealer a visit. See what he knows about Alina's club. We need a lead of some sort. We've got a morgue full of seriously mauled bodies and no clue at all as to what happened." He lowered his head into his hands and massaged his temples. He looked tired.

  "Oh, and take that English guy with you, will you? What's his name again? Edwards. Jarek, wasn't it?" Em stiffened slightly. That wasn't going to be pleasant. She really didn't want Jarek and Nick anywhere near each other, but Robert was determined.

  "He's after a full time role here, or a three year professional exchange, at any rate. Says he's got a girlfriend here and wants to live here eventually. He seems a nice enough guy, but check him out, will you? I can't offer him the role if he's not up to it."

  Em had nodded. What could she do?

  And so here they all were. One big happy criminology team - her human boyfriend, her demon ex-lover and the man who fetched her blood waiting just inside the warehouse door. Life couldn't get any more complicated, thought Em. She tried not to listen to Jarek's smug laughing inside her mind.

  "It's locked," said Nick. "Damn. What a waste of time."

  A look of intense scorn crossed Jarek's face and he turned to Nick with a sneer. "Since when is that a problem?" he hissed. "Are you as stupid as..." He stopped abruptly as Em whipped out a tendril of dark energy that smacked him upside his mind as thoroughly as if she'd punched him in the stomach.

  Have you gone insane? she threw at him. British medical examiner, remember? You're supposed to be a dork.

  Jarek's thoughts came back to her in a millisecond, his mind cool and dangerous in hers. Careful, my darling, he said. I'll tolerate this little game for you, but I don't like having to tolerate this ape you've dragged along.

  His name is Nick, said Em hotly, and I'd appreciate it if you'd ...

  You're sleeping with him, aren't you? Jarek's voice in her head was dripping with disgust. You've fallen in love with a mortal. You're weak Em.

  Em yelled into his mind. Jarek! Save it. We're working.

  Nick had taken a step back at Jarek's words, stunned and surprised, and not a little bit angry. A frown forced its way across his usually amiable face and he opened his mouth to speak when Jarek interrupted him.

  Jarek coughed a little and shifted his feet. "I've watched too much American television I guess," he said with an sheepish grin. "I didn't think things like locks bothered you guys. Of course, if we busted a lock back in London there'd be hell to pay, but you guys do it all the time, don't you?"

  Thank you, said Em, tartly.

  Nick relaxed. "Yeah," he said, smiling back. "I mean, no! No, it's totally illegal, but I mean, sometimes..." he trailed off looking flustered, and didn't catch the sly sideways look Jarek cast him. He was looking instead at Em, who was crouched in front of the lock jiggling a pick inside it.

  "Em!" Nick exploded. "What are you doing? We don't actually have a warrant."

  "Mr Edwards did have a good point," said Em, working on the lock. "Since when is that a problem?"

  Nick spluttered.

  "Nick, we need to talk to this guy. We've got nothing in this case. Narcotics have given us this chance, and I'm damn well going to take it. Who is going to care whether we have a warrant or not? He's a drug dealer for crying out loud." Em felt the lock click. "Are you going to be ok with this?" she asked.

  Nick stared at her. He looked at Jarek who had taken a sudden interest in one of the dusty windows to one side of the door. Em could feel Jarek's amusement and wished he'd shut up and go away. Nick looked at Em again, and Em was sure she could see disappointment in his eyes.

  "Nick?" she said.

  He was silent.

  'This is OK, Nick," she said. "Robert told us not to come back without a lead. If anything goes wrong I'll take the rap. Nick?"

  "Yeah," he said softly. "Come on then."

  He pushed the door open, and they went in.

  In the gloom inside the warehouse they could just make out the figure of a man leaning against a head-high wooden crate. He had his arms folded, and a slight smile on his face. It was fairly obvious he'd heard everything that had gone on just outside the door, and had come f
orward to greet them.

  He threw his arms wide.

  "Welcome!" he said. "Will's the name, blood's my game. How do you want it today? I can speed it up, slow it down, beef it up, thin it out, spice it up and serve it out. How may I be of service?" He had an infectious grin and gave a little mock bow.

  Actor, thought Em affectionately. She couldn't help it, she really liked Will. When they'd met that night at Alina's Em had told him a team from crime scene would be coming to see him. She'd told him he needed to pretend not to recognize her. He hadn't liked the sound of any of that, but he'd said he'd play along so long as Em promised to protect him. She'd assumed he'd meant from the law. She was good with that.

  Nick reached into his pocket and pulled out his badge. Em noticed Will was watching Nick closely, with his own hands casually on his hips, near his belt. Did Will have a gun? wondered Em. She didn't think so, but could see that this situation needed to be dealt with very carefully.

  "We're from ..." began Nick.

  "You're cops," said Will. "As if I couldn't tell. It's plain as day you're police." He didn't sound aggressive and he smiled to soften his words. "Well, you are, and you." He gestured to Em. "That one over there I'm not so sure about." He flapped a hand at Jarek and stared at him, and his eyes opened just a little wider as Jarek stared back.

  "He's English," said Nick, shortly. "And we're forensic pathologists, actually. Not police."

  Will grinned and spread his hands in an open gesture of give and take. "Hey," he said. "Even pathologists have needs, desires... I expect the English do too. A guy's got to make a living you know. I've got to try."

  "We're investigating the bodies that were found out front of the burlesque club further up the shore there. We've just got a few questions for you..."

  Em could feel Jarek's impatience behind her rising like the tide. He was ready to tear Nick apart, and chew straight through Will's mind and take what they needed. And he might still have that goofy self-deprecating smile on his face, but little cracks of dark energy were beginning to split out of him, and it wouldn't be long before someone as astute as Will began to notice. Already Em could feel the fear beginning to rise out of Will, and he was staring a little harder at Jarek than was polite.