Prologue
"Hello this is Madame Elizabeth's office, Secretary Joan Hemming speaking." My response to the call automatic although this wasn't my usual position I was well rehearsed. Since I had moved to the city I had been working in the financial section of Heathrowe Inc. a wealthy supernatural corporation which ran most of post war Chicago.
The shrill ring of the phone brought me to my usual routine, I grabbed a pale pink sticky note clicking a pin waiting for the person on the other line to relay their message.
A harsh baritone came across the line, I roll my eyes, "Miss. Hemming Tell Madame Elizabeth she will have a meeting with the court Monday, courtesy of Alpha Jean Dulles."
I open my mouth to respond, "Sir we-" But of course the line went dead before I could tell him the openings for Monday or acquire any pertinent information. Typical supernatural they won't take no for an answer and leave you hanging. I wasn't quite sure how to handle the situation. It must be important if a vampire is seeking help from an Alpha werewolf. But after all I was just subbing in for the actual secretary so she would have to sort everything out Monday.
Something sounded oddly familiar about the call, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. I shook my head in dismissal I had to lock up my wing of the office. I was lucky enough to draw the short straw and had to stay late on Friday night. Not that I had much of any plans myself, maybe finish a few chapters of a book I've been trying to read about dating in the modern age. I smiled at the thought of a relaxing weekend, my boss a vampire supe Madame Amy had been exceptionally strict lately and had given me an overwhelming workload which is why I jumped at the opportunity to sub in another section. She's been extra testy, apparently the higher ups in the company want to make sure that all branches are following protocol.
I grabbed my purse checking to make sure the desk was in order one last time before I locked up. As i rounded the last corner near Madame Elizabeth's office, it hit me. A stench much like rotting flesh. My body was telling me to run, something evil was or had been in the boss's office.
Duty obligated my conscious and I hesitantly reached for the door handle shaking as my fingers grasped the cold metal. Slowly I opened the door and was rewarded with an eerie creak the stench grew worse and my eyes stung from the pungency. The moon light was the only illumination into the room casting a glow onto the office, cascading across the desk to the couch in the far corner like a spot light. I squinted my eyes trying to make out what was off in the room. Suddenly my breathing halted as a cold wind seemed to blow directly on the nape of my neck. I opened my mouth to let out a piercing shrill scream but it was too late a hand had already covered my mouth.
Chapter ONE
It has been five years since supernaturals' or as they are often called "supes" revealed themselves to the world, the dominant supernatural groups being the vampires and werewolves they unfortunately for the humans proved their superiority in a brief two year war, World War Three. It was a feeble attempt by humans to try to regain ignorance of other possible beings, an ignorance humans did not know they valued until their naivety was shown. Supes want things to go back to the way they were, except of course them coming out of the metaphorical non-sexual closet.
And there I was a twenty-five year old human woman standing outside in the cold Chicago wind waiting and trying to get into a supe club.
The reason I'm not tucked away in my meek little apartment is because my only friend Monica's twenty first birthday is today, she would start world war four if we did not do something tonight. I even got a temp secretary to lock up the office tonight without telling my boss. I'll reap the consequences Monday morning I'm sure.
Though I'm uncomfortable and quite possibly terrified out of my mind I relented to her pleas. If I had it my way we would have watched reruns of old human soaps and then after watching the news I would be thoroughly terrified, naturally humans were often found dead. After scaring myself by nine I would be safely tucked away in bed with three deadbolts securely in place. I am not very fond of supes and supes do not seem to be too fond of me. Maybe it's because I don't buy into any of their bullshit about equality or maybe it's just because I am one of the few humans whose fears are genuine.
Supes during the day are predictable, safe. Almost human if not for their dashing good looks and easily triggered temper one would not be able to tell.
Night supes were a different story.
I tensed, this is the time of night the streets are just dark enough and the moon is just high enough supes get a buzz of power and become unpredictable, more feral. And with the recent unrest in the vampire sector of the city I was a bit on edge.
I kept my head down and let Monica shuffle us along the line to club Howl; I rolled my eyes at the name, a werewolf club naturally. The street was crowded with supes and a few hopeful human women hoping tonight they would discover they are a potential supe mate. I certainly am not one of them, I am quite satisfied being unattached and independent; even if it is said the supernaturals are wonderful lovers. Younger supes are willing to hook up with humans but never long term relationships supes always have the thought of a mate in the back of their mind. A human mate is the perfect genetic compatibility with a supernatural, such compatibility makes it so a supe can have more than one mate option but the chances are slim and they are too territorial to share. Once a supe finds a potential mate they will show off their abilities and prove their worth, which they will be able to protect any offspring they would have. If a potential mate still declines more drastic measures are taken usually the supe will have to "persuade" the potential mate which entails harming, frightening, controlling, and in some extreme cases kidnapping.
The older the supe, the more conservative and unpredictable they become. Lord help any human who has an old supe as mate they're ten times more animalistic than the newbies.
If I were to ever be a supes mate I wouldn't want an older than dirt supe, a human girl at my office found her mate and he was 110 years old. Of course he didn't look his age supes live for an undeterminable amount of time, far longer than any human. He made her boss fire her and even forced her to move in with him by means of getting her landlord to kick her out and scaring her friends from giving her a place to go. He was the only person she could go to he said it was all for love the design of things, I for one have a slightly different opinion.
Monica brought my attention back to her by shrieking loudly at her own unthought-out joke. I glanced up periodically to show I was paying attention to whatever Monica was saying, but a cold breeze reminded me of the dress Monica had convinced me to squeeze into, a skimpy little neon tank dress which made me feel cheap. I pulled at the hem trying to force it to become longer.
Monica swatted my hands away from the dress, and said, "Charlotte, you look fabulous, I would never let my bestie look anything but fabulous."
She emphasized "bestie" implying I was crazy to insult her fashion sense, I felt like a prostitute or better yet by the looks the other patrons were giving me, meat hung up to dry.
She's always called me her "bestie" I think it is because she does not have anyone else, it is probably why we clicked. Her family is all deceased and I mean six feet under dead; not drink your blood dead, in these days you have to clarify a miscommunication can be insulting.
My family may as well be deceased; though technically I have a brother, Redford. His real name is Bobby, naturally his vampire blood mate thought Redford was more appropriate for his new lifestyle as her mate. After his mating and my refusal to move into a coven and become a snack all contact we had ceased.
