Darkest Night

Sweet Lucy

He stood for a moment, basking in the heat of the inferno towering before him. Each small explosion from inside the building grew his grin a little larger. Inhuman screeching filled the night air but was lost under the roar of a passing plane. He wished he could watch the place burn to the ground, but he could hear sirens quickly approaching. In his line of work it was best not to get involved with 'The Man'. He couldn't afford the legal teams of the large hunting clubs, so any trouble he was in would have to be dealt with with nothing more than flimsy alibis and a lot more laws broken. He checked his bank account. Seems that the money went through. He pondered the rest of his night as he melted into the shadows. Back into the insanity of the city at night.

He was a complex man doing a very simple job. He stopped evil. Yes on occasion that meant he would hunt down a rapist or a murderer, but those where human evils. There is so much more to the universe that humans either forgot or ignore. In ancient times he may have been a temple priest, or maybe a king's magician. At least back then human's were willing to admit there were forces far beyond us, and gave proper reverence to those that kept humanities small flame from being snuffed out. Tonight he stopped a witch coven from summoning one of these forces. Witches, magic, ghosts all utter nonsense. These things are simply parts of the universe we haven't given a scientific name to. This gave him pause. In a way, he thought, I am a kind of scientist. He watched a few police cars zoom by him, presumably headed to where he just was.

"Yea they would have to, I left like..." He tried to count the bodies. Thirty something. Bare minimum. He kicked a bottle in frustration. Once he was able to count the number of things he stopped. However, the last five years or so have been nothing but a rage. Not since the wedding. He hadn't been totally right since then. He dove deep into his studies, everything from quantum physics to alchemy. All in search of forgiveness for being unable to save her. Quickly he pushed the thought out of his head. He made his way through the maze of dark alleys each reeking with the stench of desperation and piss. He nearly tripped over a sleeping bum, who began to mumble profanity.

Finally he stood in front of a blue door. It seemed out of place in the darkness of the alley. Its paint well-kept, unlike the cracked and peeling paint on the surrounding buildings. On the door was a dragon holding a rose. He passed his hand over the symbol and spoke aloud "The dragon wishes to feel the rose's thorn." The door gave off an audible hum and a latch clicked deep inside. He the took a deep breath and held it, he hated the transporting 'spells', but it was quickly over. He stood in a smokey room with music crashing into him like waves in the ocean. Each thump of bass echoing in his body. It was a comforting feeling. This was one of the very few places in the world that was safe. The Serpent's Rose was the domain of a guardian. A force of nature that is helpful to humans. This one happened to be an earth elemental. To her humans we but babies that needed to be tended and shown the proper way to behave. Very much a "spare the rod spoil the child" kind of being. He walked toward the Madame. She would sit in the same exquisitely carved couch, the same green as her eyes. She was large in her human form. Nearly seven feet tall, and she weighed close to fifteen-hundred pounds but her build was that of a busty, voluptuous woman. As he approached the dancers and waitresses all smiled and said hello to him. Each knowing just the kind of man he was.

"What do you want?" The Madame's tone seemed a bit short.

"Well, that covens gone. You owe me extra, you never told me they were necromancers. Re-killing is always an extra fee." The Madame took a large drag from her hookah and blew it into his face. With a short cough he waved it away and gave a small chuckle. She reminded him of the caterpillar from wonderland.

"I didn't know."

"That total bullshit. Come on, we've been in business together to long. I'm tired tonight."

"Fine, go see Sweet Lucy. She will give you your extra money." He let out an audible sigh. Anyone but Lucy. "She should be finishing her set now."

He walked over to the crowed center stage and stood off in the shadows. Watching Lucy. She moved with an unearthly grace. Her eyes massive and the color of honey were offset by her hair, a deep blackish-purple. The color of the night sky. She came from the Dragon Palace off the coast of Japan. Where she spent many years as a geisha to some of the Edo periods fiercest samurai. Lucy is what the story books might call a "siren". Her original home was a planet in the Cygnus constellation. Same place as gorgons and amazons. Her skin was pale but giving off a soft glow, surrounding her a shimmering halo. Males of all species threw gold and jewels and money at her feet with each shake of her hip or flip of her hair. The song finally ceased and she jumped off the stage and running over to him with glee. He rolled his eyes as she jumped onto him. Nothing on but a smile and five inch clear heels.

"Hey Lucy, I need a re-killing fee. Fifteen re-kills at my standard rate. Plus five percent for her not telling me." He big eyes begun to water. All her emotions were always on display. It was how she lures men with her "Song"

"All business tonight? I thought maybe we could play some." she ran her finger up and down his well muscled chest.

"Last time that happened you nearly cut my head off, both of them." He remembered the night well. The only time he had to actually sword fight totally naked. He heard some where in his travels that a true test of a man is if he can fight in the nude. Well he saw why.

"I have never met a man who handled his 'sword' so well." Her lips were painted in a deep purple. It took all his will power to resist this amazing creature.

"Maybe next time. Now go get my money." He shooed her off and turned away. He begun to watch a Valkyrie dance to a pounding fast metal song. Letting her know he was finished with her. Lucy's face instantly turned red hot as she quickly tuned and stormed off. He looked back as she left. He enjoyed watching her leave for reasons other than her assets, but they where certainly were a perk.

After a moment she came back with a small chest. He always had preferred being paid in hard cash. Or gold in this case. She opened the case, showing the shiny coins inside. His face lit up as he took it. "Pleasure doin' business with ya hun." He turned to leave

"You better come back soon!" Lucy said with a pouty look on her face.

He was happy to leave. He was no where near drunk enough to deal with Lucy. He walked to the bar, brushing back some foliage. The nature and open forest look of the decor had always kind of been obtrusive. At least I don't have allergies, he thought. The bartender walked over to him. A large bullish looking man with a large septum piercing and two small bony nubs on his large brow.

"Give me a rock-slide, Karloff" He rapped his knuckles on the bar and took a look around. The place was packed as usual. Some were there for the dancers, other to curry favor with the Madame. It was a popular spot for couples of differing factions. Mostly females of the Lawful and males of the Chaos. Talk about opposites attracting. He himself was aligned chaotic neutral. The forces of the universe are broken up into several different, yet equally powerful factions. There are the Lords of Law and the Gods of Chaos. The Light and The Darkness. Then there is the Astraal and the Infernal. Each of these forces keep the others in check. And there is good and evil in any given group. The Great Forces aren't good nor evil. They just are. Fire burns and water drowns. Fire also nourishes the earth and water will grow crops. That doesn't make them 'good' or 'evil'.

Karloff slid a frothing mug down the bar to his open hand. With a large gulp he expertly swallowed the drink and waved for another.