Courting Trouble (Chapter 6) (Patreon)

   Index
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5 

 Chapter 6

 Ah, the familiar feeling of being dragged further into trouble. I knew this was going to happen. I stared into Belkor's craggy features. "Of course it is. How is it worse?"

"Two of the murdered Dokkalf were members of the elf court." Belkor explained. He paused, looking at my blank expression and frowned. "They govern the sidhe and my folk in this city. A council. With the deaths of two primary Dokkalf courtiers it means chaos for us."

I raised my eyebrows a little as I pieced things together. "So ... a political killing? And the other deaths were ... what, attempts to make it look more random?"

"Possible. Commoners aren't concerned if the odd member of the court dies, but fear starts to spread if normal folk are targeted." The troll sighed and sat on a chair, which groaned in protest under his bulk. "On top of that, some Ljosalfar courtiers have been killed in the same way. Nemue is being blamed for that too."

"Ljosalfar?" I asked, feeling a frown form on my mouth.

The barkeep nodded. "More elves. Smaller number than the Dokkalfar. They're kin, cousins in your tongue. Your folk call them light or high elves."

"Why target them now?" A conclusion was beginning to form in my mind.

"More chaos. Ljosalfar are high on their own opinion of themselves. They're making things worse, stirring up more fear and diverting court resources." The troll's face twisted into a grimace, clearly displeased.

I nodded and asked my final question. "Do the vampires have power at court?"

Belkor blinked and next words were toned like someone hedging his bets. "Some. Each court has power, the most powerful court tends to control the city. The vampire court has some power, but not as much as the sidhe."

I processed the information for several seconds. "If the vampires are looking for Nemue, they must be involved." I could feel my brows knit as I thought. "It could be a coup," I whispered, more thinking out loud than anything else. Looking at Belkor's rugged face, I saw his own large brow furrow.

The troll didn't seem convinced, his tone of somebody thinking out loud than refuting my argument. "If it was, they'd need to do a lot more damage than what they've done."

"But elves are still dying, which means they aren't done yet." I told him. "What if they're working their way up to something? If that's the case, they'd need Nemue to stay at large..."

Belkor finished the thought. "To use as a scapegoat."

"Helena was looking for Nemue. Is there some sort of reward for her capture?" I asked, trying to piece together what I could.

"No." He answered but then paused for a moment. "Though that might change now."

I nodded to myself, putting things in place. "So there is no reason for her to hunt her down for some sort of gain. So what would the vampires want with her, aside from keeping confusion running rampant through the elves? It gives them motive."

Belkor mulled it all over for nearly half a minute. While not slow witted, I got the impression he processed information much more carefully than humans did. He hunched his already naturally hunched shoulders and stared at me. "If you're looking for proof, you're going to have to find their hunting grounds."

Belkor pulled out a leaf of parchment, actual parchment, and scrawled down an address. "This is where I'd start." He looked at me, those green, murky eyes narrowed down his large nose. "And you're going to need some protection."

***

I left the bazaar, back into afternoon sun. After the time in the dim, hot and stuffy cave it was like a splash of cool water. In my coat there were several items purchased from a few stalls and shops on Belkor's recommendation. I felt the silver edged knife in the sheath at my hip and in my pocket I fiddled with a concoction of different herbs and wood oils, stored in an aerosolized spray. I also examined the small charm on a string, etched with flowing script and designs, and tied it to my belt loop. The entire shopping trip ended up costing me a couple hundred dollars but I felt a little better about the prospect of walking into a vampire lair.

I took a cab back home, glancing at the sky every few minutes during the trip. Eventually I realized I was subconsciously checking the position of the sun, marking how far from the horizon it was. Sunset was still a ways off. A flutter in my stomach reminded me of where I'd have to go when darkness fell.

My apartment door was still locked, which helped ease my nerves. I half expected to come home to a kicked down door and ransacked apartment. I slid the key into the lock and slipped inside, perhaps a bit more hastily than I normally did. Almost immediately I felt a frown form on my face.

Nemue was nowhere to be seen. The couch was empty and the blankets were unruffled. I pulled out my revolver and stalked quietly through my apartment. As I approached my bedroom, a slight rustle caught my ears.

Using my foot to push open the nearly closed door and I found her. The elf was in my bed, comforter pulled up to her chin. I let out a sigh of relief and stowed my pistol as she stirred. "Nemue," I began, before I realized the situation, "what are you doing in my bed?"

The woman slowly opened her eyes and I saw the light shift off their dark surfaces as they swiveled to focus on me. "I couldn't sleep there, so close to the door. I'm sorry."

A slight pang of annoyance rose up in me but was blunted by an understanding. If somebody had kicked down my door they'd have been able to instantly fire on her from the doorway. Still, it was my bed and I was starting to get the impression that Nemue didn't ask permission before acting. "I guess that is fine, just next time co..." I was cut off as she slid out from under the sheets. Apparently the elf slept in the nude and didn't seem overly ashamed of the fact.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was well rested but the woman was different from my initial impression. Or perhaps without the layers of clothing concealing her shape I could just see her more clearly. Either way, I understood why elves enamored human beings for ages.

She was still alien, with too long limbs, too long fingers, with a waifish build, but there was an unerring beauty to her, like what you see in graceful animals. She wasn't model sexy; her hips were narrow, her bosom small and flat, but there was a surety to her that I found appealing. Hairless, except for that on her head, and pale like fresh winter snow, she almost seemed to glow.

As she stretched out I could see muscle shift under her skin. It wasn't bulky muscle that led to abs and bulging biceps, but had a sort of whipcord quality to it, tight and lean. Again, I was reminded of an animalistic quality and a large part of me wasn't feeling quite so voyeuristic, as if seeing her in such a way was natural and shameless.

Nemue turned to me and a hairless brow lifted slightly. I met her inhuman eyes and exhaled, kicking my stunned brain into action again. "Could you get dressed please?" I asked as politely as I could.

She did, with a brisk pace and when she was fully covered I noted that the hoodie and jeans seemed to once more dull her appearance, making her look more human and strangely unremarkable. "Thank you. Can we talk? Are you hungry?"

"I am, I suppose. Do you have any more milk?" Her voice was still quavering, still a little nervous, but there was something less urgent, less scared in it than when we first me.

I beckoned her to follow me and I made my way to the fridge, opening it and peering inside. I found a carton and pulled it out, only to realize it was cream, the kind I tended to use liberally in my own coffee. "Sorry, you drank the last of mine."

"I prefer that, thank you." Nemue said, her tone patient but I noticed she answered a little too quickly. She took the carton and sat on the couch.

It was my turn for my eyebrow to rise but I didn't question it. I got a glass out of the cupboard and I heard her ask, "And sugar, if you have any."

I brought a glass and a bowl of sugar and set it on the coffee table in front of her. She poured herself a full glass of cream and started doling spoons of sugar into it, then stirring it as if she was mixing milk and honey into tea. She drank it gingerly and I saw something sparkle in her eyes as she did so.

Sitting down, I folded my hands in front of me. "I don't have a lot of time. I'm due to speak to the vampires after sunset."

Nemue didn't drop her glass but I saw it fumble ever so slightly in her grip, her eyes widening. "Why would you do that? Those things think of you as food."

I pushed back a flood of unpleasant feelings as images of the female vampire from The Black Cauldron swam in my mind. "Yeah, I know that." I said flatly. "But it's the best lead I have right now."

There was an uncomfortable silence for several seconds before I broke it. At the same time, Nemue opened her mouth to speak but as the first word came out of my mouth she closed it. "It's possible the vampires are making some sort of power play. Somebody's killing high elves now."

Nemue gave a sharp intake of breath. "Ljosalfar?" she asked, her face drawn with fear and worry. The quavery quality in her voice intensified slightly as she continued, "That would cause a great amount of tension."

"Why?" I pressed, leaning forward and peering at her.

"They're the second powerful faction in court. We side together in matters to be strong but if they sow hate and distrust for the Dokkalfar, it could cause a civil war." Our eyes locked. "The Ljosalfar are proud. They would see it as a great insult if a lowborn took to killing them. If the Dokkalfar at court don't find the killer, the Ljosalfar will revolt."

Nodding, I realized the situation. "They'd think the powers at court were giving you the freedom to kill again."

"Or encouraging it," she whispered, worrying the glass between her fingers nervously.

Pulling out my phone, I started thumbing keys, searching the internet. I found what what I was looking for and pulled out one of my business cards, scrawling on the back of it with a pen. "Can you direct me to your people?"

I didn't look up but I heard her stammer over the first word, caught off guard. "Y-yes. Yes, I can. Why?"

Setting aside the pen, I held out the card for her. "Don't like to waste time. "It's still a few hours until nightfall, so I'll look for new leads until then. Other elves would be the best choice."

Nemue took the card and her brow furrowed. "What's this?"

"Motel." I answered immediately. "If I'm not back by sunset, you need to get to that address and hide. At least one vampire knows I'm connected to you and it isn't out of the question they might come by looking for you."

She nodded. I pulled out a small notepad and took up the pen again, offering them to her. "Now, tell me how to see the elves."