Fantasy FTK: Black Rose Detective Agency

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec smirked. He was the one paying her, so was it really her treat? He didn’t speak, just examined the plate.
“Just with your hands?” He lifted the slice to his face and ate a bite, then ate the entire slice like a starved man.
“Incredible. Why are we detectives again? I wish I knew about the Pete Saw years ago.” He took another slice and ate slower.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz giggled at his pronunciation.
"It's pronounced "Peet-saw" Boss. There's no space between the two syllables."
She ripped off a piece of crust, popping it into her mouth.

Delilah sighed, sitting back in the small booth that they had been placed at.
"You would be a terrible pizza maker. For someone who eats rats and coughs up furballs like a cat, I'd be terrified to come to your pizza shop."

She shrugged at Lautrec's sour look.
"What? I'm pretty sure everyone in the shop heard you wheezing away in the bathroom."

 

[Jodyguru]

He blushed with embarrassment.
“I would’ve taken care of it earlier but I feared someone would try getting me into a patient room... it’s not like I enjoy it... It would be too much to ask Ms. Toccash to bring me a rare steak... Getting blood isn’t easy when you want to suppress the monster inside.”
He was staring down at his empty plate by the time he finished talking

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz frowned sympathetically.
"I think you're great for having been able to overcome the urge for so long Boss," she said, giving him an encouraging smile as she wiped her mouth with her napkin.

Delilah studied her nails, watching how the light reflected off the red lacquer.
"Why don't you just get a steak once in a while? Pretend like you have a croc or somethin' at home. I mean...people these days have all sorts of weird things at home."

She let out a sigh, pulling out her pack of cigarettes.
Shaking the box, she held it out to Rheitz, who shook her head.
Delilah nodded, "not a smoker, huh?"

Rheitz nodded. "Yeah...not really my thing."

Delilah shrugged. "Fine by me. You want one Leore?"

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec nodded and took one for himself. The warm drag of it filled him with a renewed calm. He exhaled pointed at the ceiling.
“These things do the trick sometimes. I can curb it off. I feel my urges aren’t as bad as a full blooded vampire would. That’s what makes them easy to track, but dangerous opponents once you find them. Blood starved fiends can be the most...” he trailed off. He thought of pools of blood and crying. Aida pleading with him for help. He shook and took another drag of his smoke.
“Hellish existences we live, and how dreadfully long it can last...”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz shivered at his remark. "A couple of years back we investigated a case where farmers were losing a lot of their cattle. Remember Boss? Turns out it was a bunch of vampires who didn't want to drink human blood. Poor guys got locked up for not wanting to kill people."

Delilah let out a small hum of acknowledgment, leaning forward, her cigarette dangling between her lips. She pulled her pocket mirror from her pocket, reapplying a fresh coat of red to her lips.

The atmosphere had become rather sleepy and after their table had been cleared, Rheitz slid out off the booth, putting on her coat.
Delilah slid out as well, tying the belt of her coat around her waist.
"Let's head home then?"

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec put his cigarette butt out on the tray and stood up. “It’s a nice evening for a walk. I think I’ll take my leave. Thank you for dinner, Delilah.” He gave her a small bow and nod.
“How about you Rheitz? Might be good to stretch our legs after sitting in that record room all day.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

"Sure Boss," Rheitz let out a small yawn, stretching her arms over her head as the door closed with a soft jingle of a bell behind the group.
Delilah blew out a final stream of smoke before dropping the cigarette butt on the ground, grinding it with the toe of her heel.
She bent to pick it up, discarding it in a nearby bin.

"I'll see you all in the morning then," she waved, back turned as she made for her car.

Rheitz let out another yawn, rubbing her eyes drowsily.

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec waved as he walked down the sidewalk with Rheitz.
“You look really tired. You sure you can walk all the way home?” He looked at her lazily dragging herself down the street.
He sighed. He wasn’t a big fan of what he felt coming out of his mouth.
“Want a lift?” He asked, offering her a piggyback ride. In the past she had never given up the opportunity for one.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She gave him a sheepish smile, climbing onto his back.
"Thanks Boss," she murmured sleepily, clutching his rough cotton coat.

 

[Jodyguru]

When she landed on his back, the shifting around made the inside of his jacket open, and the angle allowed the folder he was carrying fall out and landed messily on the sidewalk. Pages were scattered around, and Aida’s bruised face was visible on the front page.
Lautrec slung out a string of curses the moment he watched it all happen.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Red painted nails came to rest on the picture and Delilah quickly gathered the papers in her own hands before letting out a low whistle.
"Stealing records Detective? I'm pretty sure that's against the law."
She thumbed through the file, recognizing the picture of Aida's miffed expression.
So this was what Applegate was about, huh?

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec looked sharply up at Delilah, letting Rheitz off his back.
“Don’t you have a prescription to go fill, Detective?” He said with bitterness as he reached out to snatch the files away from her.
Aside from the health record stating she was moved to Applegates, there wasn’t much in the file about the stay or how recovery went.
“Its a family matter you wouldn’t understand. That file shouldn’t even exist. It needs to be destroyed.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

She held it out of his reach, backing away from him, a smug look on her face.
"So you resort to stealing things? I'm pretty sure, Detective, that they would have gotten rid of it if the file didn't need to exist."
She studied Aida's picture, analyzing what she could before backing away from him again, holding the file up in the air.
"I mean, do you even have clearance from Central to pull this kind of thing?"
She tapped her finger on her chin.
"Oh! Wait. That would be a no."

Rheitz stared wide-eyed at Delilah before stomping the ground with one hoof.
"You give it back Detective Waters! That's his private business!"

Delilah rolled her eyes.
"Doll, no matter how much you want to protect your Boss here," she pointed at the seething dhampir, "he took a sensitive file from a hospital. Without a license to do so."

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec straightened his back and walked forward slowly.
“Are you finished? There’s nothing left for Dominion to take away. Your tone will not shake me. Our practice works outside the bounds of law all the time. It’s the nature of being a private eye. I don’t care if you steal from others if it means solving the case. I never claimed to be the arbiter of moral judgment. I hunt monsters, and happen to be related to one.”
He held his hand out towards her. “Give me the damn file.”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Delilah snorted.
"Oh? So this, a file about your sister, has to do with this case? Forgive me, Detective, for questioning your oh so perfect methods, but if a Detective steals, it's for a case. To help bring someone to justice. Not to clean up your personal affairs."

Rheitz glared at Delilah.
"Stop it! You're really going too far, Detective Waters! Just give my Boss the file! He knows what he's doing!"

Delilah laughed.
"Oh, he knows what he's doing, does he? Tell my pocket that every time I had to bail him from jail!"

She thrust a finger at Lautrec.
"And you! Don't try to pull some sympathy or some other crap out of me. Who gives a damn if your sister sucked some blood and you had to clean up the mess?! You're still an arrogant, stuck-up bastard who thinks too highly of himself."

 

[Jodyguru]

Lautrec growled at her, and for a minute wondered if this was worth going back on the promise to not using his powers against her. He noticed a familiar face appearing behind Delilah. A hand grasped the folder and pulled it clean from her hand.
“Oh my, a patient file? Why are you holding this, Delilah?” Hyatt Mattey said, looking at her though his small glasses. He looked at the name on the file and shook his head.
“Tsk tsk. Is this what you do with the warrants I write, spying on your coworker?” He grasped the file under his arm and walked past her.
“Honestly, you detectives act like children playing cops and robbers. Pull yourselves together and act like civil human beings for Mitra sake.” He looked at the dhampir and the Dolaharan.
“Er, Meta-human beings as well.” He chuckled.
“Nice to see you again, Chief.” Lautrec said.
“Call me Hyatt, you old dog. I’m not your chief anymore.” He punched Lautrec in the arm and leaned in a little.
“I’ll let this one go, but don’t ever pull this shit again in my city.” The Chief said. He straightened himself and nodded to Rheitz.
“Good evening dear. You are Leore’s assistant, correct?”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Delilah scowled, letting out a string of curses under her breath.
"Damn you Mattey. The dhampir stole them, not me! What the hell?!"

She put her hands on her hips, throwing her superior a sour look.
"Screw you and your pretty face, you bloodsucking bastard," she muttered under her breath, turning to leave.

Rheitz gave her a smirk, placing her own hands on her hips.
"So Detective Waters, anything to say now?"

When she didn't get a response she rolled her eyes at her departing figure.
"Serves you right," she muttered before turning to the chief.

Rheitz gave him a big grin.
"I'm Detective Leore's assistant and information broker. Nice to meet you Chief!"
She held out her hand.
"I'm Rheitz Toccash!"

 

[Jodyguru]

The Chief shook her hand. “Hyatt Mattey. It’s a pleasure. You’re a chipper young lady. What made you want to work for such a sour old man as Leore?” He jabbed Lautrec with his elbow.
“Sorry it’s a bad habit. We like to make fun of our senior officers, especially the ones with a chip on their shoulder. I was fresh out of the academy when he was sitting on his retirement plans. Worked together a solid five years, and they made me Captain when he resigned.... anyway, I should get going. This file should find its proper place at the hospital. Take care!” He left almost as soon as he appeared. Lautrec sighed and started walking down the street.
“Almost had one good day...” he said softly, trying not to get emotional.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz sighed, watching the dhampir pace glumly down the sidewalk. Walking into the store, she managed to call Toby, asking if he could pick her up.

Rheitz was angry with Delilah. How could she? Aida had always been a touchy subject for the Detective and the woman knew that!
But Rheitz couldn't help but feel like what her Boss had done was wrong. Yes, he was a private eye, but stealing Aida's records? That was new.
She sat on the curb, chin in her hand as she stared off into the distance until Toby came to pick her up.

...

Delilah glared at the papers in front of her, mentally cursing her ex-partner.

Everyone was loyal to this bastard. Everyone. He grouched around like a cranky hermit, pretending like he wasn't a messed up guy. He stole documents for Mitra's sake! But no! Obviously he and the chief were buddies, so he'd let it slide.

"It's that pretty face. I swear, all these vampire bastards dazzle the hell out of people so that people actually like them."

Delilah sat in Lautrec's office, sitting behind his desk, her feet on the top, papers in her lap.
She scribbled something down on a pad, letting out a yell when the led of her pencil snapped.

She let out a groan, lighting a cigarette and taking a drag, blowing the smoke into the confined space.

She heard the door open and the light steps of the dhampir who called the desk his own, but she didn't make a move.

She was going to get him back. Annoy the hell out of him.

Delilah knew she was being petty. Heck, she normally wouldn't do this. But the fact that he got away with everything miffed her.

 

[Jodyguru]

While Rheitz sat on the stoop she saw a black car go by. It was full of menwho looked at her as they rode by. They wore suits and smoked cigars. The car stopped a few meters away, and the two men near the curb stepped out.
As they got closer she could see they had the “Holy star of Mitra” medallions.

“Uhm, excuse me ma’am.” One of the men approached Rheitz. He had blonde sideburns and dark blonde hair coifed.
“Do you worship our holy lady Mitra?” He sounded curious and earnest enough.
The other, a bald man with scars on his face, spoke after him.
“We noticed you awfully close to that Dhampir. Are you protected by the Lady’s ward?”

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz looked up at the men, tugging on her ear.
Deciding to make the best of this situation, she smiled.
"Yes, I do worship Mitra! But if I can ask, what's the Lady's ward?"

 

[Jodyguru]

The blonde man laughed in a light, almost womanish way.
“Oh my; you must be kidding.”
The bald man grunted. “It’s the seal we carry as a protection against evil. The pure of faith wield them against harm and terror. You may have beads, scrolls, or blessed candles at home. Carry them with you for good luck. If you see that man again you should have one ready.”

The bald man took a bead necklace off his wrist and handed it to her. it was made of green and blue stones.
“Oh fine, I’ll give up mine as well.” The elf removed the necklace around his neck. “Take these and say the Lord’s Prayer”
After giving her the beads they started gesturing with their hands.
“Oh holy Lady. I say a prayer for thee. Protect thine body and spirit, and thy shall enemies bathe in the light of thee. All hail the guided ones.”
They both nodded, said good day, and went back to the car.

 

[alwaystheOptimist]

Rheitz stared at the retreating figures, mouth opened slightly in confusion.
"I-I...," she looked down at the beads in her hand. They seemed to glow softly in the pale, yellow streetlight.
"Thank you? But I won't be needing them!" she called after the retreating car.

She shrugged, stuffing the beads into her pocket.

She got this a lot. People walking up to her as if she were a lost soul, in need of protection from her apparently "evil" Boss.
Rheitz didn't know much about Dhampir's. She'd heard the stories, seen the dead bodies, but she knew that they struggled with an uneasy existence.
It was difficult having to decide whether or not to feed or to slowly die in favor of saving lives. Her boss, in Rheitz's opinion, was the best dhampir. He was very casual and he didn't like to force himself upon others, hence his rather secretive ways. He was kind, though, as seen when he offered to carry her.
Detective Waters had no idea of who he truly was. She was blinded by pride, and that annoyed Rheitz.

 

[Jodyguru]

Back at the station

The door opened around 9 pm. It was Aida in a long sleeved jacket, hair loose in a black swirl, and denim jeans.
“Hey” she said to Rheitz. “My brother said he’s not coming in tonight. He was sleeping when I left.” She stuck her hands in her pockets. “Where’s the piggy pig, out to the trough?” She snorted with laughter.