by brett hicks
“If you say anything annoying Bix, so help me god…”
She chortled and caught up to me in two large Amazonian strides.
“Oh, says the girl who washed this entire building out with her magical orgasms last night. Let me just say this, Liam was not able to contain himself after the fireworks display coming from the top of this building!”
I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest.
“My orgasms are perfectly normal and natural, not magical!”
She just chuckled at me like I was a naïve little child.
“Says the Necrovamp to the light elf…”
I scrunched my nose up at her and shot her a faux-annoyed look.
“Bix, I’m sure you and Liam had a lot of fun role playing last night, but I really have to get to work. You remember my job, the one where I find the killers that match the corpses in my morgue?”
She flashed me a smile.
“You do like to keep things in neat little pairs don’t you Thea?”
What in the holy hell does that even mean!???
“You know, I’ve decided that fairies are way too confusing. I need to keep aspirin on hand for these conversations.”
Bix shrugged non-paused.
“And vampires suck blood, what’s your point?”
She sang it out so sarcastically I almost punched her!
“God help us all if you and Liam ever have a kid. That is bound to be the most annoying child in the history of the inhuman kind. Adorable I’m sure and certainly going to be spoiled rotten, but still annoying.”
Bix grinned widely as if I had just handed her the highest praise I ever could. Damn fairies!
“Well, off to the salt mines I go. You keep Seri and Liam on the straight and narrow in my absence.”
Bix rolled her eyes.
“Please, I have like three-hundred years of practice at that and I still can’t predict those two.”
I nodded sagely.
“I can see how that might lead one to become an annoyingly cryptic fairy ranger.”
She chortled and shook her head.
“You have a gift for being brazen and unpredictable little princess, don’t change for anyone.”
I grinned wider now and I nodded and accepted her compliment. Bix was a strange bird, well then again we all were, but we were some kind of cohesive family unit all linked together in this mesh of two kingdoms.
“Ok, you wizen elf, you.”
She narrowed her eyes in what could have been a faux or real annoyance and monotonously said, “I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that last part, nor will I point out the age of your lady love.”
I waved as I walked out the door and I caught another glimpse of her humor dancing in her eyes. Silly elf girl!
***
The 25th was bustling with freshly collared witches and a few lesser daemons. We were in the process of working through the list of them and figuring out how to charge them and with what. Considering the public slave trade in the hollowing, everyone was getting an accessory charge for kidnapping and human trafficking.
Now we were fishing for clues about the mysterious cloaked male witch we have been hearing about. More than a few have been less than forthcoming thus far. My boss was hopeful that between me, him, and Reece, we could learn something of value about our murder case.
Speaking of Reece, he was practically smoking from the pointy elven ears by the time I spotted him hovering over my desk like one of those nasty death omens.
“You seem to make a habit of divulging too much of inhuman business to the mortals.”
That was his greeting after a whole day being A-wall. I furrowed my brow and crossed my arms over my chest.
“We all have to answer for what we choose to do at some point. You will be thanking me later when the humans are not hanging us all up by our proverbial balls. Besides, in this age, don’t you think we were on borrowed time already? What if they had discovered us during one of those nasty little power-plays? What if all the humans knew about us was our potential for violence?”
He huffed a mighty gust and shook his head.
“I lived over five-centuries without humans being any the wiser and now you come along and we are now rounding up whole communities!”
I took a threatening step forward and I matched his intense gaze with one of my own.
“You mean the daemons and witches who were selling humans into slavery?!”
Reece huffed again.
“I have been in law enforcement since before it’s official inception. I have been on the NYPD since it was founded. There are checks and balances to doing business. Certain things have to go overlooked, or the black market goes deep underground and they begin to move much more dangerous shit around! If you content them to their trivialities, then you keep them from reaching deeper.”
“I’m not sure I want to learn from a son of a bitch who is willing to ignore sentient beings being sold like cattle! You sicken me!”
Reece waved his hand in a grand gesture.
“All of this chaos you have wrought on our heads and not one damn lead to further this case. All you have managed to do is deepen the chasm between inhumans and witches. Now the daemons are on the warpath as well. You have stirred up a hornet’s nest of hell beasts you incompetent little child!”
My cheeks heated and I took another step forward and we were about two seconds form fists flying now.
“Tread lightly, because I am not someone you want to fuck with Reece. A little girl or not, do you think I’ll just tuck my fucking tail between my legs and let you walk all over me? I have news for you sheriff; I will do whatever it takes to bring killers to justice. The same as I have done whatever it took to keep madmen out of power in this city, our city!”
Reece glared at me with raw anger lighting up his pupils.
“You are an immortal wrecking ball and you are going to cause a world war with your thoughtless actions!”
I snarled at the accusation.
“I’m going to start a fucking world war?! That’s rich considering the fucking King could have stopped all of this! Hell, he still could, but where the hell has he been? He’s left loose cannons unchecked for too long and now people like you are getting all pissed and huffy with me because you don’t understand why your goddamn chickens are all suddenly coming home to roost.”
Reece’s hand shot out and he pulled me up to eye level by my shirt. I could have evaded the move, but I didn’t want to move that fast in front of humans—yet.
“That is treason against the crown! You simpering little child, you cannot perceive what balance has been maintained!”
My eyes never left his. My tone was feral but just barely contained.
“Unhand me, before you spend the next five-centuries masturbating with your less dominant hand. I hear that’s not nearly as enjoyable for you guys.”
I shrugged and my hard gaze and my magic seemed to cut him deeply, more deeply than he would verbalize. I could feel the tendrils of my power seeping out and clutching at his body, willing me to release my fury on him.
“Is there a problem here?”
I flicked my gaze over to Skylar’s approaching form and the sweetie had his hand hovering over his baton. He looked like he was about to launch to my aid, but had the good sense to stop himself short of doing so!
“No problem here, just a slight difference of opinions between colleagues, right Reece?”
My eyes flashed him a do-not-fuck-with-me look and he swallowed down whatever he was going to say. He released me gently and shrugged.
“I was just explaining to our young detective here that I prefer to work alone and will request a reassignment.”
I shrugged and I didn’t move a single step. I kept my eyes on my prey pinning him with my gaze like a lady hawk waiting to swoop and lance him with my mighty talons.
“You’ll be missed.”
I managed to sound like I didn’t want to throttle him, or bite him—or both! Skylar frowned and
shrugged.
“Well, as long as everything’s cool, it’s all good. I was just coming to tell you that the Inspector requests your assistance in interview four, Detective Salvo.”
I bobbed my head and cut a look to Skylar.
“Tell his royal highness I will be there presently.”
Skylar snorted and shook his head muttering about crazy Latin chicks.
I couldn’t begin to process Reece’s reaction to my decision. How could he be a cop this long and not do something?! From my limited experiences, the secrets we have kept hidden have not done us any favors over the years. Besides, they have allowed the corrupt to hold power.
Twenty:
The Inspector was waiting in the box connected to the interview room number four. This was where you watched and listened behind a one-way mirror. He didn’t insult me by asking about the obvious quarrel a few moments ago.
His features were stern and his posture rigid. He showed deep purple under his eyes. He had likely been here all night and all morning.
“Sir,” I said it and saluted. He bobbed his meaty head slightly.
“So, you ready to cut a deal with a literal devil in there Detective?”
I cocked my head to the side in confusion.
“Sir?”
His lips twitched and he nodded towards the slender attractive being that I was nearly certain was an incubus. He had long flowing raven hair and green streaks that appeared so naturally woven that I dismissed it as a dye job.
He was a smooth gentle looking man, unlike the burly bear of a policeman beside me. He was dainty and almost fragile in his beauty.
“He claims to know something of interest to us, but will only speak to the Princess Detective, as he seems to refer to you.”
I arched my right brow high into my hairline.
“That’s a new twist.”
I murmured it in a low tone that I thought had escaped the Inspector until he smirked and shrugged his shoulders.
“Well, you’re as much of an expert as we have. Should we cut a deal and get the information?”
I huffed out a breath and I shrugged.
“Seri hates dealing with daemons because they almost certainly screw you over at every turn. That is just their nature.”
He nodded his comprehension.
“But, if he can bring us a step closer, then we can use him.”
I shrugged and I sighed out another long breath.
“I’ll try sir, but be warned that I will have to keep my word, whatever is spoken between us. I am bound by my word in any negotiation unless I wish to strip my word of the law of its power.”
The Inspector seemed to consider this for a long moment and he finally consented.
“I think in this case, the risks are worth the possible gains. Part of the reason we raided that magical black market was to press the perps for information on these murder cases.”
I nodded my agreement.
“Sir, he is going to ask for his freedom. I cannot press him and then detain him if he makes me swear to free him.”
The Inspector’s jaw tightened.
“Well, try to figure out what you can, but don’t make any formal deal until I give you the go-ahead.”
I nodded and I stepped out the door and I walked over to the main door to the interview room. When the door opened and the handsome daemon incubus saw me enter the room, his charm seemed to hit fifty-thousand watts. I felt a tangible sexual charge in the air around me and even the air I breathed was suddenly flooded with hormones and desire.
So, that’s how he’s going to play this?!
My power unfolded around me like dark wings and I felt the temperature drop by at least twenty degrees. My eyes were likely glowing amber bulbs of wrath. I felt the incubus magic crumpling to metaphysical dust around me and withering against my aura.
“Nice try pal, but I’m afraid I don’t swing that way. Now, if that was your play, then you have sorely underestimated me.”
I fanned myself and power rushed and blew the hormones into oblivion. I was not sure how it worked; only that some of my power seemed to be to break things down, to unmake. I had to assume this was in some way connected to death and decay, or some such similar affinity.
His eyes widened and he licked his lips, before he had a charming, if very serpentine look curls on his features. The incubus shrugged and gave me a devil-may-care look.
“You cannot blame a guy for trying to play to his strengths.”
My snort was derisive and I barely managed to stop the impending eye roll.
“Right, so are you going to tell me something of interest to my open murder cases? Or did I just waste my precious time walking into this room? You do realize that while the humans can lock you up, I can send you screaming to the abyss realm? I would not advise you trying to use your powers on me again, or I will banish you so deep into a hell so dark you never find your way back to a living woman’s vagina again.”
That seemed to give the smile pause and the thought of being cut off from sexual energy sent tendrils of fear into the air. This incubus was finally beginning to realize that he might have just provoked a much larger predator than himself. The charming smile faltered on his face and his facade broke.
“Your word that you will not banish me and you will release me upon conveying my information?”
I stepped forward and I let my necromantic power unfold further. Icy death trailed around me and I smiled widely, enjoying the way the daemon tracked my progress with fear. Being a predator, I reveled in the hunt and I longed for the feel of the chase.
I took the chair across from the incubus and I sat down slowly, never letting my eyes leave the daemon. He was pinned to his seat with my stare now; he knew this was my hunting ground, not his.
“I would remind you that you were found in a den of black magic and human slavery. I also found evidence to suggest you and the other daemons were capturing unwitting young inhumans to bleed for the witches, or to fuel your own powers.”
He was already shaking his head vehemently.
“I had no part in any of this! I swear it on the name of every Hell Lord!”
That was an interesting choice of an oath.
“What were you doing in the hollowing? Why reside there if you are not part of the market?”
He licked his lips and he sighed.
“Because that’s where we are brought over to when we are able to cross to this realm. I know what your people often think of mine, but some of us are just fleeing the conflicts ever raging in Dis or its neighboring realms. At least here, we have a chance.”
I didn’t know much about the realm of Dis, or any of the other hell realms.
“What conflicts?”
I asked neutrally and he licked his lips again.
“My border realm between Dis and Inferus is one of the homes to the incubi. Our small border realm is like a very large Hollowing. When Dis and Inferus clash, we are always caught between the two. Neither care if they obliterate whole towns of incubi or the several other daemon species native to our large hollowing. You are a young ruler, so you can look this information up, I am certain even the inhumans keep records of the numerous wars of the other realms.”
I blinked and I pulled out my phone and dialed Bix and put her on speaker.
“Hey, there hot pants, what’s going on?”
I ignored Bix’s uncharacteristically humorous greeting.
“Bix, I have you on the speaker in interview room four in my 25th precinct with an incubus who claims to be from a large hollowing between Dis and Inferus.”
I could feel the air around her shifting with a non-existent wind. Bix could change hats instantly.
“Malborrow, yes I have plenty of dealings with that hollowing. He can hear me, correct?”
“Yes, he is right across the table from me.”
“Yerg drak shok toru.”
Bix said to him in a guttural demonic language that was even more exotic than the Dis language I had he
ard before.
He spoke with a shaky voice in the same guttural language.
“Mik trogg, shu-faa.”
“Yes, he’s from Malborrow all right. No Dis or Inferus daemon would have readily sworn themselves to the unaligned mistress of the night. That is a sacrosanct sort of thing amongst daemons. To disavow your Lord or Lady is to invite devastation and unending suffering upon all you hold dear. Besides, his accent was perfect and without any lingering hint of Dis twang.”
“Thanks so much for verifying his identity Bix. Are the Malborrow truly refugees? Should I expect any trouble from him?”
“No, they are really refugees. The few we had come through Brooklyn were allowed to stay, so long as they obeyed the laws. We would adopt them to our kingdom, but that is obviously up to you now, not me.”
“When I walked in he tried to shower me with his daemon hormones and magic.”
Bix snorted in amusement.
“Imagine how disappointed that must have left him? He is a sex daemon. They are all about charm and charisma, but they do not often hurt people. They use their charm as much as a defense, as an offense. That would be like my glamour, I will use it instinctively to protect myself. I would not fault him for trying. Only a truly stupid daemon wouldn’t try to charm a powerful woman like you, Thea.”
The daemon nodded in agreement and I huffed and rolled my eyes.
“Ok, that’s all for now Bix. Thank you for daemon one-oh-one.”
She chuckled and I heard something clump down beside her.
“No problem Thea. Just keep in mind that you have more than one option when dealing with a Malborrow Daemon.”
“Sure will keep Liam in line while I’m gone!”
I could feel her eyes rolling on the other end of the line.
“A fool’s errand, I assure you!”
“By Bix!”
“By Princess.”
We disconnected and I looked at my daemon and gave him a small smile.
“Just give me a moment to confer with my colleagues and we will finish our chat.”
He dipped his head slightly and waved as best he could while cuffed to the pole in the center of the table.
“I am literally a captive audience my lady.”
I snorted and shook my head.