"This one was unknown to me," Simon replied. He returned his attention to me and searched my face. "I swear I would not have-" I pressed my finger against his lips and shook my head.
"I trust you." Simon grasped my hand and kissed the finger. A faint blush flowed through my cheeks. I pulled myself free from his gentle hold and half-turned from him. "But don't go getting me into that much trouble again. It isn't fun being almost splattered onto pavement."
Simon chuckled. "Only our foe met such a fate. His companions, however, were less fortunate in their slow demise."
Swift stepped forward and clapped his hands together. "Well, if that's all done, how about my freedom?"
Simon turned to him and smiled. "You are free to leave whenever you wish."
Swift frowned. "What about my car's freedom?"
Simon bowed his head. "You have faithfully upheld your part of our bargain, thus I will uphold mine. You are both free to leave."
Swift stepped backwards towards Shadow and gave a wave. "Well, then I guess Shadow and I'll be seeing ya."
"Perhaps soon," Simon warned him.
Swift opened the door and saluted to him. "Any time, Fang Face." He glanced at Specter. "Stay transparent, Ghost Guy."
Specter smiled. "I'll try."
Swift slipped into the car and in a few moments his tail lights disappeared the way we came in. Specter turned to Simon. "I should be heading off, too. It's a little draining being around you guys."
Simon bowed his head. "The money will be deposited in the bank account within a few days."
Specter shrugged and floated towards the woods in the direction of the city. "No hurry. I've got all the time in the world. Later." His form faded into the shadows.
I looked around at my two remaining companions and the truck. "So what do we do now?"
Simon nodded at the armored vehicle. "We will empty the truck of its contents and give them to Cotio to distribute."
My shoulders slumped and my face fell. "I forgot all this trouble was for a bunch of dumb rocks. . ."
He chuckled. "We were well-rewarded with two entertaining evenings."
I tipped my head to one side and glared at him. "You're sadistic, you know that?"
He bowed at the waist to me. "I have been informed of that characteristic, but-" his sly eyes flickered up to me, "-you must admit the thrill of death was intoxicating."
I snorted. "Only for someone who can't die."
He grasped my hand and led me towards the rear of the truck. "Patience, my love. There will come a night where you will enter our ranks."
Little did I know how soon that night would arrive.
Fleece of Gold
CHAPTER 1
Another night, another adventure to be had. This one was going to be a little hairier than usual.
I shuffled from the room I shared with Simon. It was dark out. It was always dark out now whenever I got up. I just couldn't will myself to wake up any earlier than nightfall.
Speaking of the fangy demon, I found his dark princeliness seated on the couch. He finished up a phone call and put the phone down just as I rounded the arm of the furniture.
"Calling one of your blood donors?" I teased.
Simon chuckled and shook his head. "No. Cotio is too valuable an asset to risk overfeeding."
I slipped onto the opposite end of the couch and raised an eyebrow. "So it's about that last heist?"
He sat down beside me and smiled. "Yes, and the one before that. The deals have closed with all purchasers, and our companions are soon to be very wealthy. Perhaps this would be a time for celebration."
I glared at him. "I just got out of bed. I don't need to go back in there."
He chuckled and shook his head. "As tempting a thought that may be, I was suggesting a vacation of sorts."
A buzzer rang throughout the penthouse. Certus emerged from whatever shadow he lurked and strode to the doors that led to the lobby. He picked up a phone that hung on the wall and pressed the receiver to his ear.
"Yes?" I heard a few garbled words. "I see." Certus cupped his hand over the speaker and turned to Simon. "Mr. Fortis and another gentleman wish to speak with you."
Simon arched an eyebrow, but nodded. "Allow them."
Certus returned his attention to the phone. "They may come up."
I looked to Simon. "Does Dolf visit you often?"
Simon shook his head. "On the contrary, he has never been a visitor here. This should be an interesting conversation."
Our wait was short. Dolf the werewolf and the other guy showed up a few minutes later. The stranger was a spectacle. His bushy white hair stuck out in all directions, and many of the ends were blackened by fire. He wore a white lab coat with red and purple stains over the front, and he looked at the world through a pair of small spectacles. The open-toed sandals on his feet finished off his strange appearance.
Simon stood and bowed to his guests before he swept his hand over the chairs opposite us. "Good evening, gentlemen. Won't you have a seat?"
Dolf and the other man took their seats, and Dolf cleared his throat. "I'm not sure if you know-"
"Doctor Vincent Ficus," Simon finished for him.
A small smile curled onto Dolf's lips. "I should've known he wouldn't get past you."
Simon's eyes fell on the lab-coated man. "I must admit I am less familiar with your specific experiments than in your wizarding abilities."
Ficus frowned. "I'm a warlock, not a wizard. Any idiot thinks he's a wizard if he waves a want and spouts a lot of nonsense from a book."
Simon chuckled and bowed his head. "My apologies, Dr. Ficus. Warlock skills or not, what brings you both to me?"
Dolf pursed his lips. "It's about one of the Doc's things he picked up-"
"I do not 'pick up' things," Ficus objected. He settled into his chair and looked to Simon with narrowed eyes. "What Dolf is trying to tell you is I discovered an ancient relic, and now it has been stolen. I want for you to find it and return it to me."
Simon arched an eyebrow. He leaned back and his eyes flickered between the two men. "You appear to have my occupation confused with those of a policeman. I steal objects, I do not find them."
Ficus glared at Dolf. "You told me he'd help."
Dolf waved his hand at his friend, but kept his sight on Simon. He leaned forward so his elbows rested on his legs and looked Simon in the eyes. "I think this one's in your line of work, though. What was stolen was the Golden Fleece."
Simon whipped his head to the doctor and his eyes narrowed. "What were you doing with such an object?"
Ficus leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest. "Research. That's what doctors do."
"Were you aware of what you 'researched?'" Simon questioned him.
"I didn't come here for an inquisition," Ficus snapped.
Dolf leaned to one side to catch Simon's attention. "We'll just say his curiosity got the better of him, but that's not really important. What's important is we get that back before somebody figures out what they have."
Simon returned his attention to Dolf. "Why do you suspect they are unaware of their treasure?"
Dolf leaned back in his chair and frowned. "It was a normal break-in. None of Ficus's rare books were stolen, but plenty of money is gone. That, and the Golden Fleece. Whoever robbed him was smart enough to realize what they had there."
"Wait, so it really is made of gold?" I spoke up.
Ficus nodded. "Yes, but its research value is incalculable."
"Along with its financial value should anyone learn its secret," Simon added.
Dolf nodded. "Yeah, we know. That's why we came to you. If anybody can catch a thief, it's the best thief in the city. So will you help?"
Simon clasped his fingers together and pursed his lips. "If I wish to retain my wealth than I have little choice. What is the good doctor's address?"
Ficus frowned. "Why do you want that?"
Simon's eyes fell on the short man. "I will need to examine the scene."
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Dolf shook his head. "It's no good. I already followed the tire tracks of the thieves. They disappeared somewhere around the club district." He wrinkled his nose. "I never could get past the smell of all those the drugs around that place."
Simon stood. "I will still need the address, and the exact address where you lost their trail."
Dolf shrugged, but stood. He pulled out a pad of paper, scribbled a few words, and tore the top paper off. Dolf handed the slip to Simon. "There ya go. I don't think I need to tell you how fast you gotta find that fleece now that it's in that district."
Simon glanced over the paper and tucked it into his coat. "No."
Dolf turned to his doctor friend. "You're in the best hands you can be, Doc."
Ficus stood and eyed Simon with a narrowed gaze. "I suppose so."
Simon smiled and bowed. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Ficus."
Ficus pursed his lips, but bowed his head. The pair left us. Simon pursed his lips and his eyes flickered to Certus. "Prepare the car." Certus bowed and left.
I turned to Simon. "Mind catching me up on this trouble? Like why a fleece made of gold is so important to drag you into its theft?"
"Have you ever read the ancient tale of the Golden Fleece?" he asked me.
I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Some group of guys stole it, didn't they?"
A small smile slipped onto his lips. "Yes. A valuable item like that has changed hands quite often."
I arched an eyebrow. "So you're saying this is the same fleece?"
"There is no other that I know if," he quipped.
"So what's so special about it that you want to get involved?" I persisted.
Simon seated himself on the arm of the couch and set his hands in his lap. "A tale that is not told is when it fell into the hands of a very wealthy individual by the name of Midas."
I furrowed my brow. "Midas? Like in the touch?"
He nodded. "Yes. He was favored by a god and was granted the ability to change anything into gold merely by touching it. Unfortunately, the touch was not limited to inanimate objects, but to food and other people. The gift was eventually rescinded, but not before he touched his most prized possession."
I shrugged. "What's the big deal about that? Wasn't it already gold?"
"It was, but when his god-granted gift came into contact with the divine object the fleece was changed into something more than merely the golden skin of a sheep. The fleece itself was then granted the ability to change anything wrapped in its folds to gold."
I blinked at him. "Seriously?"
Simon stood. "I would not joke about a matter that pertains to such wealth."
I frowned. "So if you knew this was real then how come you haven't got a hold of this thing sooner?"
"It was lost to time since the early medieval period. How it came to drop into the hands of the good doctor we can only speculate, but that is hardly the concern." He glanced at his watch. "The night district should be quite busy by this time. We can expect to find the proprietors of the clubs at their usual dens."
I stepped in front of him and held up both hands. "Wait a sec. I'll admit something making gold like that is cool, but what's the rush?"
"The rush is we must find the thieves before they learn its value and sell it on the Black Auction," he explained to me.
I sighed. "All right, I'll bite. What's the Black Auction, and what'll happen if it gets on it?"
Simon smiled and opened his arm to me. "I will explain in the car."
CHAPTER 2
We found Certus waiting for us in the parking garage, and in a few minutes we were driving down the road. I took my usual seat opposite Simon as he restarted our conversation.
"The Black Auction carries more than the usual trade of illicit human goods," he explained as he crossed his legs and set his hands in his lap. "Valuable items prized by those aware of the paranormal also pass through its house."
I arched an eyebrow. "Like what?"
He glanced out the tinted window to his right. "Blessed holy water, tomes filled with ancient curses, bottles capable of capturing souls." His eyes flickered to me and a sly smile slipped onto his lips. "There is even the occasional aphrodisiac for those undead who wish for a more pleasing evening."
I rolled my eyes. "All right, I get it, it's a shopping mall for the paranormal. So what happens if the fleece hits the market?"
He pursed his lips. "A feeding frenzy will occur, and the winner of such an auction will recoup their losses by starting a production line through the fleece. The gold market will be flooded with once-worthless items, and the price will collapse."
I shrugged. "So what? A lot of countries aren't on the gold standard anymore."
He turned to me and frowned. "But I still am."
My mouth slowly dropped open. "Are. . .are you doing this so you don't lose your shirt on gold?"
Simon turned away from me and a sly smile graced his lips. "Among other reasons." He leaned back and spread one arm across the back of his seat. "I must admit I am curious to see the fleece. It isn't every day one sees a relic more ancient than I."
I snorted. "I'm sure you two will have a lot to talk about, but how are we supposed to even find it?"
Simon watched the world sweep by. "A little skill, and a little luck."
I slumped down in my seat and frowned. "So you're telling me you don't have any idea where to start?"
He pulled out the slip of paper given to him by Dolf and tossed it to me. I juggled the paper before getting a firm grasp on it. "The address in the club district will give us a starting point. From there we will follow the trail of most thieves and learn its whereabouts."
I studied the address and frowned. "There's a lot of businesses in that part of town, and I heard it's a pretty rough place."
He turned to me and flashed a toothy grin. "I am sure we will be able to handle ourselves. As for the businesses, I have an old-well, we shall call her an acquaintance."
I looked up from the paper and scowled. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He chuckled. "Jealous?"
I jabbed the paper into a pocket. "No, but if you've had multiple partners I'd like to know. STDs might not be particular about living and undead bodies."
He smiled and returned his gaze to the window. "You have nothing to fear from either of those quarters. The woman is an acquaintance, and recently acquired a valuable club along the strip. The thieves may have tried to pass the fleece through one of her connections."
We reached the club district, a red-light area filled bright neon signs, blaring music, and crowded sidewalks. The curbs were a constant flow of cars that picked up and dropped off club-goers. The streetlights illuminated the colorful outfits of the club clientele as they flowed into the open doors of the low buildings. Beyond the doors were flickering lights, alcohol, drugs, and bad music.
Certus parked us on a curb in front of one of the larger buildings. A long line began at the closed double-doors and snaked its way down the block.
I stepped out and tilted my head back to read the sign over the door. "The Four Horsemen?"
Simon stepped up beside me and followed my gaze. "The previous owner's idea. She had an unusual sense of humor."
"So what happened to her?" I wondered.
His eyes swept over the crowd. "As what happens with every greedy individual. Her greed forced her into a deal too far."
I studied his face. "Sounds like someone I know right now."
He smiled down at me and offered me his arm. "I will be mindful to check my greed, but after this interesting adventure."
I sighed, but accepted his arm. Simon led me through the crowds and to the front door. A burly gorilla-like man stood beside the pair of doors. He sneered at us.
Simon met the thing's dark gaze without hesitation. "We have brooms to deliver."
The guard narrowed his eyes, but jerked his head over his shoulder in the direction of the doors. Simon bowed his head and led me past the bouncer and into the l
arge noisy room that made up the club. The walls were covered in thick red curtains, and at the back was a small stage. In front of the stage was a dance floor, and against the curtains stood the tables for those not dancing.
"'We have brooms to deliver?'" I asked Simon.
He chuckled. "You will see."
Simon led me to the right rear corner of the room. There was a side hall that led to a back door, and at the opening to the hall was a door, and on the door was a plaque that read 'Janitor.' Simon opened the door and revealed a staircase in the floor. More bad music hit our ears, but at least this music wasn't so loud.
We hurried down the stairs, careful to shut the door behind us, and arrived in a subterranean basement. Round tables were placed around the perimeter, and in the center was a boxing ring. Two participants were locked in combat. My eyes widened when I realized one was a werewolf, and the other appeared to be some sort of man-bear.
"So the handsome Simon Cruor graces us with a visit," a female voice spoke up.
We turned to our left and my eyes fell on a short woman. She had a slim, beautiful face with a becoming figure if she didn't wear baggy dress pants and a vest and white shirt. Her head was covered in a large green cloth hat that made her look like a mushroom. Behind her followed a tall, muscular man with thick brown sideburns and eyes that reminded me of Fortis.
She stopped in front of us and eyed Simon. "And might I add you don't look a day over two hundred."
Simon smiled and bowed to her. "Good evening, Lady Gorgon."
She frowned and waved her hand. "Not that name. It's Georgina, remember?"
His smile danced across his lips. "My apologies. My memory is not what it used to be."
She tilted her head back and laughed. "I'm sure." Her eyes fell on me. "And who do we have here? A new recruit into our world?"
Simon gestured between us. "Miss Faith Luvena, allow me to introduce you to Georgina-"
"Just Georgina," she finished for him as she held out her hand to me. "A pleasure to meet you, Faith."
I gave it a good shake and smiled. "Likewise."
Georgina withdrew her hand and cradled her shaking hand in her other palm. She looked me up and down before a sly smile slipped onto her lips. Georgina turned to Simon. "A few more bites from you and she won't have to worry about her complexion."