Broken Glass: An Alicia Jacobs Novel (The Alicia Jacobs Chronicle Book 1)

by Amanda Thurston

  The child had not stopped screaming since he had seen the man's face change. He was sobbing and wailing on the floor his chubby little face smeared with dirt, blood splatters and tears. Jen nudged him with her muzzle trying to coax him to calm down. He took one look at her blood soaked face and screamed even louder. His chubby little fists beating desperately at the air as if he would fight off the blood covered dog and evil man himself. A brave little tyke, he kicked his feet and wailed even louder, the sounds like high pitched sirens to Jen’s ears.

  She stepped from the room and changed back to her human form, sweat glistening on her skin at the strain of changing forms so quickly without a break. She wiped off as much of the blood from her face as possible and ran outside to get her clothes taking a wipe from her purse and wiping the rest of the blood away. The wipe came back stained crimson, she tried wiping a bit more of the blood away but just managed to smear it across her skin. She grabbed another wipe and looked in the mirror of her car trying to clean her face. Tears filled her eyes as she took in her appearance. She had killed someone.

  Jen had never thought that she would kill another person whether it be supernatural or human. She burst into tears dragging her shaking hands through her blood matted hair in an attempt to calm it down. She only managed to make it look even more disheveled. She grabbed another wipe and cleaned the remaining blood from her face and hands scrubbing at it until her skin turned pink. Now she could go back to the child, at least she no longer resembled an axe murderer.

  Jen walked slowly back towards the building wringing her hands. She was in a lot of trouble. Despite the fact that it had been in self defense, and in defense of a human she knew she was in trouble. She had few options, she could face the music, or she could run. Running, was not an option, she could not do that to Alicia. Alicia was going through enough right now with the loss of her job.

  She went in and the boy saw her, human not covered in blood and not scary he stopped wailing and hiccupped. He ran to Jen flinging his arms around her and sobbed. She reached down and patted his back cooing softly and whispering words of reassurance. Jen reached into her pocket and dialed the police, no not the human police, the supernatural police.

  An officer had come, and had taken the child cleaned the boy and performed a memory wipe on him, effectively erasing the past few hours of the child's life. He took the child to the human police reporting that he had found the child wandering down the road and had thought it best to bring him to the police department. The boy was reunited with his mother and all was well. Except for the fact that Jen was now a murderer.

  After the police had taken the child Jen had turned herself in. She was calling from the police station in Genesis, the local supernatural community. She was sitting and waiting for them to finish the paperwork required to book her. Another officer had been sent back to the scene to wait for the cleaning crew.

  The cleaning crew were who was called to clean up supernatural based messes. When one thinks of messes, they do not think of crime scenes and murders. That is what the cleanup crew took care of. Supernatural based murders. They made sure that there were no witnesses left straggling and cleaned up any evidence that could be left behind for humans.

  It was quite the story and Jen was in quite the situation, no matter the reason the supernatural community frowned on murder. Jen was now considered a murderer and she was calling from jail. I leaned back taking a sip of my cold coffee swishing it around in my mouth before letting out a long drawn out sigh.

  I was going to have to deal with this personally, Jen and I both knew I was the best person for this case.

  Even if she had just called me to let me know what was going on, there was no way I was not going to represent her myself.

  “Alright Jen, I need the address to the jail they are keeping you I will be coming in and filling out the paperwork to formally represent you as your lawyer.”

  Jen balked, I could hear it in her voice as she stammered “you're not a supernatural, you can't be my lawyer Alicia, you know our rules. There is no way that the council will agree to this. I don’t want you to do it either, you and I both know that this could put you in danger.”

  I growled softly under my breath “I am your girlfriend, I do know the rules and I will be representing you as your lawyer. I have read the law books you brought home. There is absolutely no way they can stop me from being your lawyer, nothing in the law books say a human cannot represent a supernatural.”

  Jen tried to argue with me, but failed because well... I was right. There was also no way I was going to let my girlfriend sit in a jail cell and do nothing. I was going to her rescue and she was just going to have to deal with it. I knew that if she decided to she could refuse my council as her lawyer, I just hoped that she didn’t.

  Walking into the bedroom, I looked around the room we shared. Our dog trotted up to me and lifted her head licking my hand. I smiled and ran my fingers over her soft thick fur. Jessie, had been Jen’s idea. She was a puppy when we got her, a golden ball of fluff, round and as bouncy as a ball. She looked up at me with her soft brown eyes as if knowing something was wrong. I petted her head and told her how good of a girl she was. I would need to stop in over at the neighbors and ask them to drop in and feed her, water her and take her outside.

  They had done this frequently for us in the past so I doubted there would be no issue. Plus, if I had to stay longer than a week they knew the pet sitter that I brought Jessie to and would drop her off there if I asked them to.

  I tossed my overnight bag on the bed and rifled through my closet pulling out a variety of clothes. This was going to take me at least a week to sort out, possibly longer. I grabbed my cosmetic case and tossed that on the bed. Looking at the overnight bag I shook my head. Nope, that was not going to be big enough and Jen would need clothes when she got out.

  I grabbed the suitcase we had bought when we went to Hawaii for our first anniversary. I packed the clothes in neatly making sure to grab a couple changes of clothing for Jen as well. I tucked my laptop into its bag making sure I had all the spare cords, mouse. I added a few notepads into the laptop bag, I doubted I would be able to bring my laptop into the prison.

  Satisfied with what I had packed for both myself and Jen I headed out the door. Jessie followed me and I ruffled her fur kissing her nose as I left promising to be back soon. It was chilly outside, I was ready for summer. I stopped in at the neighbors and asked them to take care of Jessie. Mrs. Patterson was a sweet woman in her fifties, she smiled and clapped happily. She loved Jessie and would happily take care of her while Jen and myself were away on “business” I gave her a hug goodbye and headed to the garage to leave.

  I looked back at Jessica wagging her tail expectantly, she really was a good dog. I was going to miss the comfort she provided. Maybe once I got settled in Genesis I could find a motel or a hotel that allowed pets. I didn’t see why they wouldn’t, I mean half of the supernatural community was animal based anyways. It was worth a shot.

  Chapter Three

  I walked back into the house and picked my cellphone up off the counter, punched the address into the GPS in my phone, picked up my keys, the supernatural law books we had at the house. Heading to the car I stopped and grabbed my purse, I was going to need to pick up coffee and some food, Jen would not have eaten and now I was hungry. On my way by the stove I glanced at the clock, three in the morning- ugh. It was going to take me at least two hours and forty-five minutes to get to the jail she was being kept in. It was going to be a long night.

  The town was a small supernatural community called Genesis, what a name for a town. I knew I was going to need to come prepared, both emotionally and physically. First there would be the long drive then I would have to fight to get in. I was not awake enough yet for this, but with some coffee and loud music I would be just fine. I knew that I could get in a lot easier as her girlfriend than her lawyer but I was not going there in that capacity.

  I cranked up the music and pu
lled out of the garage, the silver gleaming Mercedes purred like a kitten as I accelerated. I really did love this car; it was the best thing about being a lawyer where I had. This had been my congratulations on five years at the firm gift from Ross. He had been thrilled when I accepted his generous gift, he had patted my back and sent me out to pick up Jen.

  Jen had joked that it made me look like I was cruising the town looking to pick up chicks. She had thought it was a riot and called me her pimp, I had pinned her down kissing her, letting my tongue explore her entire body. I had showed her she was the only “chick” was interested in and now I was on my way to save her ass. Just like the knight in the story that we used to read together before bed. I was going to need to get a bumper sticker that said “Knight in a shining Mercedes.”

  I danced in the seat as I drove, the loud upbeat music helping me drive away the last of the sleep fog. Coffee and donuts sitting in the passenger side for Jen, my cappuccino in the cup holder already half empty. During the drive I mentally prepared thinking of everything I needed to do, I had read the supernatural version of the law books numerous times. While I did not know it as well as I knew human laws, I was confident I knew enough to get through this. Whatever I didn't know I could research in their library as her legal representative. Hopefully their library, or the council could provide me with access to whatever information I needed. Who knows, maybe they had an internet database on the laws, one could hope.

  Jen was just outside of the city limit in a small rural area that unsurprisingly was mostly supernaturals. The town of Genesis was neat and welcoming in appearance to a normal person. However, they would find their stay uncomfortable. Why? Because supernatural creatures were not the most welcoming sort. They tended to create their own small areas and once that area was established they would slowly modify the real estate structure and the normals would move out.

  The town that she was jailed in currently was home to maybe two hundred humans. The rest of the three thousand in population were various races of supernaturals. It was a nice community despite not being home to many humans and Jen and I had discussed moving to it before. We had decided against it because of my job, and the fact that I was a human. It would have been very uncomfortable to be in a community where I was not accepted. Racism, was still alive and well throughout the world. Not only with color, but different species as well. You would think after what had happened in the past, all the wars and fighting over racism and equality, that people would grow up.

  After parking the car in front of the police office I checked to make sure I had everything in order. It was bad enough Jen was about to have a human lawyer but she did not need an unprepared lawyer. Then again it was worse, that I was not a licensed supernatural lawyer, they were going to fight me every step of the way. I was prepared for hostility as I opened the door and walked into the front office. It was surprising when the sheriff walked up to me and took my hand, shaking it vigorously.

  “You must be Alicia,” he said, with a big friendly smile.

  Nodding, I could not help but look at him like he had two heads. “Yes, and you are?”

  I peered at his badge, trying to read the small print on it. “Sheriff Spencer... Spencer? Are you related to Jen somehow?”

  He gave me a sheepish smile, “I am her father, Alicia, it's a pleasure finally to meet you.”

  I was shell shocked, well, this was one way to meet him. I would have definitely preferred a better setting for meeting my girlfriend's father for the first time.

  He smiled wryly and squeezed my hand before letting go.

  “She is in the maximum security lockup in the back, the one with silver bars”

  I stared at him in shock. “You locked your daughter up- your WEREWOLF daughter-behind silver bars?”

  He looked at me and anger briefly flashed in his eyes his voice was low and there was a tinge of bitterness in his tone. “I don't have a say in where she gets locked up, If I don't do my job, I lose my job and they bring in someone else. Who won't know the job nearly as well as I do. It’s my only way of keeping her safe. Who are you to judge me on that?”

  I started to reply, and then realized he was absolutely right. He was doing his job, just as I was about to do mine. I could not fault him for that.

  He nodded as we came to a silent agreement, that he was doing what he needed to do and I was doing the same.

  He led me into the waiting room, pulled out a clipboard with a large pile of papers and handed me a pen.

  “These are all the forms you need to fill out. Not only to see her, but also represent her. The governing body plans on sending someone over to try to convince you not to do this.”

  He looked behind him at the front desk which was currently empty. It was almost as if he did not trust his co-workers.

  I also want you to understand if you choose to represent her, you have to follow supernatural law and that there are people out there.... Who will try to hurt you. I can't guarantee your physical or mental well-being if you try to do this, Alicia.”

  I knew what he was saying. A human representing a supernatural was not only unheard of but dangerous. There were beasties within the supernatural community who wanted to abolish all contact with human beings. They rallied for it on a regular basis and in the past, wars had come of it. Ever heard of Hitler, of course you have... He was not just targeting Jewish people. His targets were human Jewish people. The supernatural community that were Jewish were safe. Horrible, but true. He was the demon representative for the largest terrorist supernatural sect overseas.

  Hitler was just one of the well-known names for racism and religious based discrimination. There had been many occurrences in the recent years that very few knew of. The only reason that Alicia knew anything about it was in the literature that Jen had provided her to study.

  It had been enlightening to say the least. One could say that a bad guy, who does what he considered the right thing, is not a bad guy in his own eyes. It was the same thought as most mass suicide cults shared. At the time, they believed that they were doing what was necessary for their religious or personal beliefs. Did that make them right or wrong? I guess it depended on your personal opinion.

  I walked over and sat in a chair, shifting my hips around trying to get comfortable in the rickety plastic. The metal legs creaked and groaned, making me regret the donut I had eaten in the car. The papers were standard legal clauses; I had written up many of these myself. The only real difference was the references to the supernatural being, discussing supernaturals with others. The whole privacy clause was rather simple. Don't talk about the fact that supernaturals exist or you will not be talking anymore. I said they had their own kind of law, I did not say it was right or just.

  It reminded me in a way of fight club. The first rule of fight club is you don’t talk about fight club. The second rule of fight club is you don’t talk about fight club. That made me smile and I looked down at the paperwork remembering when Jen and I had watched that movie. She had gone on and on reciting one particular quote for like three weeks. It had frustrated me so much. It was something like “It is only after we’ve lost everything that we are free to do anything. “Maybe, that quote applied here? Who knows. I looked down at the paperwork and tapped the pen against my finger as I continued reading through the legal mumbo jumbo.

  After filling out the forms I walked over to the desk. Jen's father was no longer there, I had not noticed him leaving. Perhaps he was checking up on Jen. He had been replaced with a petite blond woman. She was very sweet looking with rosy cheeks and big almond shaped blue eyes. I couldn’t tell much about the rest of her but she seemed attractive enough, I wondered if this was Jen’s mother. Jen hadn’t talked much about her family, I would need to speak with her about that now that I had met her dad.

  She smiled politely as I approached but her face morphed when she got a whiff of my scent. Her lower jaw disappeared, replaced with dark rotting skin, her tongue flopped around wetly where her bottom jaw sh
ould be. It was almost like looking at a decomposing skull. Her eyes were hanging loosely in her sockets, one of them dangling a bit angling towards her nose, a single tendon keeping it in place.

  Somehow she was able to speak despite the jaw being... well not there.

  “HUMAN,” she snarled out glaring at me through yellowing eyes, one pupil had burst and the liquid swirled around in the eyeball. I could feel my stomach turn as I watched her eye move around in such an unnatural way.

  I had seen pictures of her race in the books that Jen had brought home. She was a wraith, a race very well known for eating humans. I balked a moment before steeling myself and walking up to the desk, putting the paper laden clipboard down in front of her.

  “Yes, I am human, I am also here as Jen Spencer's legal representative.” I made sure to put emphasis on the words legal representative giving her a pointed stare.

  She glowered at me, “I was not going to eat you, calm down Jesus.”

  I gave her a polite and professional smile as I spoke “the thought had not even crossed my mind.” It totally had! How could it not have, I tried really hard not to be xenophobic? If that was the right word.. but some of the supernaturals were well known for their taste in human flesh.