by brett hicks
There were no obvious identifiers on them and I swore to myself. I watched as they threw bricks and what had to have been Molotov cocktails through her one window and another hit the side of the sign.
When they were retreating to the car I noticed something small on one of their right jacket shoulders. It was a patch of some kind. I paused the video and I narrowed my eyes. I couldn’t make out exactly what the symbol was, but I did have an entire precinct of resources now.
“Do you mind making me a copy on a flash drive or something? Or you can e-mail it to me.”
Ariel nodded and she studied me quizzically.
“You noticed something?”
I shrugged.
“Maybe, but we need to give it to a computer specialist to blow up the images. Maybe we will find something more concrete then.”
Ariel nodded and she turned her laptop and tapped quickly on the keys like an expert.
“Done, I sent it to the private e-mail you gave me the first time we spoke.”
I nodded and gave her a smile.
“Thank you and we are going to figure this out. I will not stand for this type of shit and I promise to do a much better job of defending my people’s interests in the future. I am sorry that you have become collateral damage in a terrible life lesson in leadership.”
Ariel gave me a wan smile and she shook her head.
“No, you’re younger than me Thea. That you can hold a domain at all is remarkable. I shouldn’t have come out at you with both guns blazing.”
I chuckled darkly and waved her off.
“I would have done worse if I were in your shoes chicka.”
Skylar beamed at us and said, ‘Good to see we are all friends again here. Miss Bishop, please call me for anything you need, anything.”
The second time he said “anything” I am pretty sure Ariel already had the gest, but the slight nip of her bottom lip told me she really liked my goofy partner.
Skylar and I spoke to her for a few more minutes as we walked back out to the car. Ariel then went back to working on cleanup. Skylar offered to help her later once his shift ended. That boy was not subtle in his interest.
When the car door closed and we took off, I finally released the laughter I had been holding in for the entire meeting.
“Geeze Sky, could you have laid it on any thicker? I mean wow, I think I need to check my own damn birth control after that performance!”
Skylar looked at me with furrowed brows.
“Why would a lesbian be on birth control Thea?”
I shot him a cross look.
“I’m a young girl in a very big city. Trust me, every smart girl is on birth control.”
Skylar’s mouth made a big O and I snorted.
“I’ve never even thought about that before, but who would be crazy enough to try to hurt you, Thea? I mean, you can basically empty a graveyard and feed any rapist to a bunch of zombies, right?”
Part of me had to admire that way his mind worked, but the other part covered my ass.
“I would never dream to defile the dead in such a way. Not when I have a badge, a gun, and a magical sword.”
I didn’t bother mentioning the rest of my arsenal or the many daggers and throwing knives that my new girlfriend/ kin had pointed out to me just about an hour before.
“Thanks for taking me with you Thea. I know I’m still in blues, but you don’t seem to think you’re better than me like the other detectives in the station.”
I cut my gaze to Skylar and his boyish smile.
“Whatever you big flirtatious nerd, it was you or a grizzly smelly detective. I just picked the lest smelly of my options for partners.”
Skylar threw his head back and laughed and laughed. Even a human could smell the stale coffee and the day-old pastries on several of the older and more haggard and unkempt of our detectives.
“Besides, as I said before, we are both rookies together in this mess. Rooks gotta have each other’s backs, right?”
She boyish smile widened again and he nodded in agreement.
“Sure thing, but you are totally showing me this magical sword you’ve been holding out on me again Thea!”
He managed to sound hurt in the way only a nerd could. You might as well have thought I had stolen his private collection of Buffy the Vampire Slayer merchandise.
“Sure thing pal, but you can’t go telling people about that. Not many people have seen my sword, or even know I made it.”
Skylar frowned but nodded his understanding.
“You got secrets, don’t worry. Besides snitches get stitches and I ain't no snitch.”
On that note, I took my partner to lunch and we dined at one of the exclusive Fairy Land authentic cuisine spots. Sometimes, being a princess and having my own domain does come with perks! Besides, Skylar was able to marvel at the unglamoured fae while we ate, it was a win-win.
Twenty-Three:
My investigation was beginning to gain traction, but I still didn’t have any concrete leads to chase down. I was planning to run through every video file we had on the apartments of the victims. With any luck, I could spot someone who looked fishy and matched the partial description I had.
Having a physical type to try to pick out above the sea of faces that was New York helped, but it was still sorting through piles of pointy needles.
I sat in a private room in the back of Cold Coffin, a place often utilized for a consented vampire-human interaction. (We have forms in triplicate that had to be filled out and one impartial witness sign as well. Our legal ass-covering was extreme, but for a damn good reason!)
I was not here to feed, though I doubted the fae I was meeting would mind donating a pint in exchange for good information. I might have destroyed her business card, but I have a perfect memory, so her number was seared into my mind for all eternity.
A minute after my arrival the stunning reporter who had ambushed me several nights ago sauntered into the room. She swept her gaze over the black leather loveseat beside my leather armchair and the black glossy table between them. The room had low lighting and classical R&B playing.
Her smile was warm and sensual. Rebecca Lowman of Fairy Flare strut over, still taking in the visceral and dark paintings adorning the walls. Seri spared no expense when decorating to set certain themes. She gave the human clients the thrilling close encounter of the fanged variety, and had a contract swearing to them they would come out alive and merely short a little blood. Knowing human nature as I do, I can see how this was tantalizing and exciting for mortals. A lot of young curious women and men alike came through nightly and our vampires left sated and their egos stroked. This was the definition of win-win!
“I must confess, I have not had occasion to enter your sanctum of sanguine.”
Rebecca smiled at her wittiness and I spared her a slight smirk. I waved my hand towards the love seat.
“Please make yourself comfortable. While I do enjoy fairy blood that is not why I have asked you to meet me here.”
Rebecca looked slightly displeased for a split second, then her gears turned and they click into reporter mode. She smiled brighter still, giving Skylar’s boy-next-door smile a run for its money.
“Do my ears deceive me? Is my liege and princess going to give this humble reporter a headline?”
I frowned at her and narrowed my eyes.
“Let me get one thing straight. I will never give you a story, but I will give you facts and you may tell an unbiased story if the information is worth following to its logical ending.”
Rebecca’s eyes shone with respect, but she quickly hid the expression. She pointed to her phone, which I had barely noticed her flipping out of a hidden pocket in her suit jacket.
“Might I record this? If you are agreeing to be a source, it would be appreciated if you would.”
I bit my lip and I nodded.
“Ok, whenever you’re ready Ms. Salvo.”
I launched into a full detailed account of our investigation i
nto the black market we shut down. I explained the ripple effects against the honest witches of our kingdoms of Manhattan. Rebecca’s eyes shined with intrigue.
“Is there anything that you can share about the two murders?”
I shook my head.
“I am a member of the NYPD and as such am not at liberty to discuss an ongoing investigation. I would appreciate you not trying to squeeze a sound-bite out of this with some misleading title. I know Fairy Flare reports the facts, so I trust you will continue with the journalistic integrity of an outstanding ice fairy like you always have.”
Rebecca twirled a lock of her hair and bat her lashes. She smiled and beamed at the praise.
“You’ve read my work?”
I nodded.
“Hard not to take some interest in a woman after she ambushes you at your favorite watering hole.”
Rebecca snickered and shrugged her shoulders.
“Sorry, not sorry. This is my job and I am very good at my job.”
I nodded in agreement. All the articles I had read from Rebecca spoke of her unbiased and unadulterated pursuit of truth. That was why I was willing to gamble on her integrity and have this little chat.
“What I am hoping for is you to look into the facts of how our witches are being treated and decide if you see a news-worthy story about the polarization of opinions towards supernaturals. I would also like to note that I have accepted some incubus daemons as refugees, who have pledged fealty to my domain and myself in blood.”
I told her about the new war between Dis and Inferus. Rebecca lapped up every word about the two daemon realms and the effects it had on the incubi caught in the middle. How they risked being obliterated or lost in the void between realities to cross realms to escape a war. They would rather be treated as third-class citizens here and treated with mistrust at every turn than die as daemon slaves.
Rebecca asked me more about the daemons and their interests. I told her what I could and that wasn’t much. I did tell her she was free to ask them herself if they were willing to divulge anything to her. She purred and said, “That is going to be my pleasure.”
I shivered at the implications in that statement. Apparently, she went both ways, well most fae did, so I shouldn’t be surprised!
“Hopefully this meeting has been fruitful for you Ms. Lowman?”
Rebecca turned off her phone recorder and she smiled brightly and tapped her busty chest with a palm.
“Call me Rebecca, honey, and of course this is an amazing lead. I will have a scoop no one is even looking at. That is how the best headlines are made my darling princess.”
Her eyes twinkled.
“I hope we might be able to do this again sometime in the near future. Being you, I figure you must hear all the good stuff before anyone else even knows the weather is changing.”
I smiled and I shrugged.
“We will take things on a case-by-case basis. Just don’t take it personally when I have to say no comment half the time Rebecca.”
She sighed shrugged.
“I can’t blame a Princess of Earth for her need to display discretion. While it does make my job frustrating, information does at times need to be held very tightly. I am your fae first, above my job, which I do so love.”
Her eyes hardened and she pressed her palm over her heart.
“You are my princess, my Lady; just know that my fealty does mean everything. I do appreciate that you and Princess Seraphina have opened up so many new opportunities for our people. We do not have to hide in the shadows and settle for lack-luster jobs to quell our boredom.”
I smiled warmly and I nodded crisply.
“I appreciate your kind words and the sincerity in which you spoke them. I will never trample your rights and if I make an error, I will go on the record and own my mistakes and try my best to fix them. That is a huge part of why I brought you here tonight. I want all of Manhattan to know we are working tirelessly to improve the quality of life for all inhumans and supernaturals. I want our people to know that I am not trying to sell out honest witches who are not guilty of any crimes. If you can help me fix this then I would be very grateful to you Rebecca.”
Rebecca whistled and said, “I really wish I had gotten that on my recording, but I will not forget it. You are doing very well. Not just for your age Princess Thea, but for anyone who has suddenly become the ruler of an entire domain. Did you know that even with the challenges you have been forced to handle and the contesters who popped up, you have fielded them far more easily than many would have? In the past, sometimes several years or decades would go by before a kingdom stabilized after a change in the Lord or Lady.”
I frowned and hummed lowly.
“I have not read that particular statistical fact yet. I will have to look into changes in the rule of domains. Seri has libraries dedicated tour history.”
Rebecca nodded and she leaned in conspiratorially.
“Off the record, the word is you and Princess Seraphina have finally accepted proper kinship. Are my sources accurate?”
I leaned in and I said, “I work for the police, so I would appreciate it if you can keep my face out of the media. With glamour, I can move around and work with some level of anonymity. To help find justice for our dead mates, I need not be hassled by the paparazzi. I hope you can understand this and how important that is for the Republic of Harlem?”
Rebecca’s eyes shone with deep comprehension.
“As I have mentioned before, my first oath is to you personally. I mingled my blood with yours' Princess, and I will not betray that oath. I am merely asking as a new friend and curious subject.”
Her twinkle was back in full force once more. I snorted and rolled my eyes.
“Off the record, yes, but we are enjoying out press-free moments right now.”
Rebecca smiled widely and she nodded.
“Noted and I am not worried about anyone else scooping that story, considering how discrete your two are.”
Her phone buzzed and she flicked her gaze.
“No disrespect intended, but I need to take this.”
I nodded and I waved my hand.
“We’re done, thank you for your time Rebecca and I look forward to your next piece.”
She stood and gave a courtly curtsy. Considering her very genuine loyalty, I assumed the only reason she did not do this when entering, was because she knows how young I am and how uncomfortable such old-world mannerisms make me feel.
All in all, that was not an unpleasant meeting. I never realized how deep the report’s sense of duty was to me. I had partially assumed that she was just another fae in need of a permanent home. While the blood oath was legally and metaphysically binding to each of my subject, they did not have to like me. They did not even have to go out of their way to help me. I had to be worthy of their time and energy. They could risk my wrath and be banished outside my wards, but most rulers were not petty enough to throw people out for being distant from the crown. Many just wanted a place to belong that was not too dangerous.
My phone buzzed and I fumbled through my pockets and fished out my cell form my left jean pocket.
“This is Detective Salvo.”
My tone was even and I heard sirens in the background.
“Detective Salvo, this is Officer Warren out of the 25th. We got a fresh one with a similar MO to the two you have been tracking.”
I swore in a tangent and I took down the address.
A third girl and this time we knew she was a human. The killer had crossed the line in the sand. By targeting a human, he was going to set off the powder keg sitting firmly under my domain!
Twenty-Four:
Tumultuous was one word to describe the scene of the third murder. Pulling up in Skylar’s squad-car had given us direct access to the building, but we still had to press through several hundred bodies.
Tempers were spiking and New Yorkers were shouting angrily as if they blamed everyone for the death of the latest victim. I swore u
nder my breath as I pressed through the throng of gathering rubber-neckers and the seemingly endless sea of reporters. I had cast my own version of an aversion spell over my body. People’s eyes were tempted to slip over me, or around me, instead of focusing too long on any one thing.
Granted this spell would do nothing to avoid any possible camera or photo-shots of me, it did work wonders for making people move out of my way as we approached. Humans and even inhumans would feel very uncomfortable around a person wearing an aversion spell. Skylar seemed to have what we called “true-sight,” so he was wholly immune to my glamour. This fact went a long way to explaining exactly how he had spotted me with my shadow obscurity glamour the first time we met.
Since Skylar was a friend, I was not planning to advertise his “true-sight” to my people yet. They needed to get to know him better first, or they would naturally distrust him. ‘True-sight” had been the cause of many terrible misunderstandings over the years, not the least of which, the Brother’s Grim several hundred years ago. Humans who could see through illusions and they began to hunt inhumans as if it were their calling in life. Later they wrote tamed versions of the stories of immortals they had ended. All the while, they avoided ever inserting themselves into the stories properly, or the roles they had played in a bloody massacre.
In short, my partner had a rare gift often used for the darkest of hearts in mankind’s history. Those of us different from the “normal” man were not a tragedy. Now that a young mortal girl was dead, her crime scene was already turning into a riotous affair!
More than a few people almost smashed into Skylar on our trek into the building. This was another East Harlem attack and I felt the shot being fired across my ship’s deck. These murders felt personal to me somehow, even if my rational mind could not explain my exact reasoning.
When we reached the relative safety of the police barricade at the front, I quickly dropped my glamour so the uniforms could see my face. I flashed my golden shield and Skylar nodded to the other pair of uniforms across the tape.
Their eyes flashed with recognition instantly. Our division was brand-new, but our mugs were already infamous in the NYPD.
