Just another day... - Chapter 2

	There was a haze surrounding my head as I was dragged through a hallway. It was all I could do to keep to my feet with the women pulling me along. As we went further down I could smell perfumes and oils heavy in the air. This place had the feel of old sex and candles. It was a miasma that made me feel amorous and uncomfortable in the same heart beat. Human men definitely were the minority around here yet some of them would still pay to lay pipe with a monster girl of their liking. Establishments such as these weren't exactly rare but they were hard to find unless you knew where to look.

	There was a moment where I became weightless and thought I was falling. Giant arms wrapped around me and held me from the ground. Under the bag on my head I could feel my right ear pressed up against something like a semi soft bundle of muscle. Through it I could hear a strong and powerful heart beating. The Giant slammed me down into a wood chair that creaked under the sudden force. My back took a beating against the rest. The bag was removed and it took a  moment for my eyes to adjust to the new light source. There was not too much to say about the room except everything was crimson from the bed sheets to the walls. There was a tall black dresser against one wall yet everything else in this room had been designed to be blood red and it nearly dripped with the color. I turned my head and was thankful to see something else not that color. She was the one who had carried me and slammed me into the chair. The Oni looked down at me and narrowed her eyes. I laughed realizing that I'd been pressed up against her breast earlier and she reached out a hand towards me.

  “I want him untouched for now.” A seductive voice resonated through the room.

	The giantess turned away from me and exited the room closing a red door behind her. I was left alone in the high backed chair made of rosewood and my eyes scanned the room for the source of the voice. I heard her laugh and it came from nearly everywhere at once. There was the faint movement of cloth on the bed then a shape under the sheet took the form of a woman. She slipped her head from under the sheet and dark hair cascaded down her back as she sat up. She had red eyes framed by dark skin and suddenly her face registered in my memory. I'd seen her a few years back during a routine bust for prostitution. She'd been a simple street walker with a vial of the darkest red liquid I'd ever seen. The blood she had carried in that glass vial was illegal and rightly so. Everyone had wanted to get their hands on the blood of a Hind and she'd managed it. It was the one thing that could kill some monsters. People paid fortunes for the smallest amount of the blood. I'd taken it away and filed the vial into evidence. When she had gotten out the vial mysteriously disappeared and now she ran this place. There were worse things to spend money on than a cat house.

  “It's been awhile.” She spoke slowly and slipped a bare leg over the edge of the bed.
  “Not long enough. You're doing well, off the streets I see.” I rested my hands on my lap.
  “You're not from what I hear. Such a shame for such a good officer to come on hard times.” She stood and the sheet dropped from her body.
  “Is there a purpose to all of this? I'm willing to bet you did not drag me here to fuck me.”
  “I have a proposition for you.” She took a few steps towards me.
  “I imagine that Oni is waiting to pound on me if I don't listen so I'm all ears.“ I quickly stood from the chair as she approached.

	Her long fingernails reached out and caressed the edge of my lapel then straightened my tie. Her body pressed up against mine. She was shorter than I forcing her red eyes to look up at my face. The skin of her finger brushed against my jaw and I felt the coolness of her flesh. She opened her mouth and smiled revealing the two white fangs that I remembered well. There was a decision to be made in this moment. I could push away from her and try my luck with the Oni behind door number one. I could try to overpower her and make an escape. I could also just submit to what I knew she was about to do. As much as I liked to wrestle with women it was generally the nude kind underneath satin sheets and not struggling for my life. I let the Vampire lock her lips on my neck and bite down. The sharp pain of her teeth going into my skin caused a jolt to run through my nerves. She drank from me only for a short moment then backed off and licked her lips clean. I touched the wound then brought my hand away and looked at my fingers. They were only slightly painted with my blood. Shaking my head slowly I wiped them clean on the inside of my jacket.

  “I'd have thought you knew were the artery was. You barely took anything at all.”
  “There's no reason to take more. You want this body.” She ran her hand over her breast.
  “Not really, for one you have nothing to entice me. You're cold lady and I'm a man that wants something with a pulse.”
  “Am I not desirable?” She cupped her breast and gave it a squeeze.
  “I don't have all damned day. You going to get to the point or not?” I sighed.
  “Just like the cop you were, no fun at all. If you're going to be this way then I'll just come out and say it. I need you.” She licked her lips and smiled.
  “I told you I'm not interested.”
  “I need you to kill someone for me.” She moved away towards the tall dresser in the room.
  “You're the second person today that's asked me to kill. I'm not an assassin.”
  “Oh you'll take this contract.”

	She chuckled lightly then slid open the top drawer of the dresser and pulled out a photograph. From where I stood I could see the woman on it. My heart sank when I took it from her pointed fingers and stared long at the face in the picture. It was her again, my former partner. The Kitsune was dressed in her police uniform with her red hair tied back in a pony tail. Two furry ears peaked out from under the cap and she had a smile on her face that hurt me to look at. Long ago the two of us had been more than just professional partners. We had the kind of plans that involve a white picket fence and family trips to amusement parks. My hand shook as I crumpled the photograph and dropped it to the floor.

  “What did she do to you?” I looked at the Vampire straining to keep my voice steady.
  “She's been causing trouble for a lot of women in the city. I want you to find her and execute her. I know of your past.”
  “You don't know a god damned thing lady.”
  “I know you loved her.” Her hand caressed the side of my jaw. “I know she hurt you in a way that you can't forgive. Kill her for me and I'll make sure you are set for years.”
  “If I refuse?” My eyes narrowed.
  “I'll call the Oni back in and she'll make powder out of your corpse after I drink you dry.”

	The Vampire turned away from me and headed back to the bed. I kicked the photograph and turned towards the door. She did not need me to tell her I was going to accept. I heard her slip back into the sheets and I knocked on the door. It opened and the Oni poked her head in. After the Vampire Mahatma waved her off she let me through the door then I walked down the hall followed by my silent hulking sentinel. There's no way I'd refuse to take the contract now. With Lil and now Mahatma wanting my partner... former partner dead I had to know why. Even if it meant that I'd end up holding her at gun point I had to find her again and demand an answer. What we had between us was long dead and buried. Lil had seen to that when she and I had our little tryst.

	As I passed one of the rooms there was a jazz record playing. I stopped at the entrance and the Oni shoved me on yet I glared back at her and stood my ground. The song was an old one and the record sounded scratched. Sitting in front of the player was young girl with cat ears and a tail listening to Louis Armstrong. I asked the Oni to give me a moment and she grunted but stood at the door. I slipped in and the girl was facing the player with her back to me. My steps carried me to her side and I crouched down listening to the song.

	I'd always loved jazz from an early age. It was one of those genres of music I rarely listened to now days but when it was on I enjoyed it. Louis started singing in his lazy way by saying I'm just a gigolo. A smile crept over my face as I listened at the side of the young girl. She turned her head towards me and returned my smile. As the trumpets kicked up in the song I stood and extended my hand to her. She took it without hesitation and I began to dance around the small room guiding her steps. She was not inexperienced but lacked the confidence to dance well. We shuffled our feet around the room until the song ended shortly after the singing began. She laughed and collapsed against my chest then pushed herself away and bowed her head.

  “What's your name kiddo?” I asked softly.
  “Aiko.” She replied in a humble whisper.
  “You training to be a high class hooker?”
  “Oh no, my mother works here. I'm just waiting for her to...” She stopped and flushed red.
  “Finish with a client?” I asked and she nodded. “Go get yourself an education so you don't end up here. Anyone that can appreciate Louis Armstrong is alright in my book.”

	The girl nodded and I strode out of the room and back to the Oni. The giantess looked down at me with an odd expression on her face. The harshness she had before was gone. It was almost as if she was attempting to smile but did not exactly know how. I shrugged my shoulders and we walked on down the hallway and outside of the building. The Buick they had driven me in was parked outside still with another girl waiting to drive me away from the place. I moved towards it and one of the Oni's massive hands grabbed my shoulder and stopped me dead. She turned me around and looked down at my face. I returned her stare with no malice and it was a few seconds before she spoke.

  “You did a decent thing in there.” Her words were gruff but honest.
  “The girl? I just wanted to dance.” I winked. “Did you want to dance also?”
  “No. I'd crush you.” She grinned.
  “That you most likely would. My card's always open.”
  “Why did you dance with her?”
  “I've always said that if you dance with a woman she'll remember you for the evening. If you dance well she'll remember you for a lifetime. That kitten in there will have some tough times in her life. I just wanted to show her that not all men are like the ones her mother entertains.”
  “You were here. She will think you were a client.”
  “Oh,” I shrugged. “I'd not thought of that. Well perhaps it means nothing then.”

	The Oni let out a roaring laugh and patted me on the shoulder. My bones creaked as her hand slammed into me with enough force to jar my teeth. With her other hand she gave me back the Smith & Wesson revolver then she turned away and disappeared back into the building. I moved to the Buick and holstered the pistol under my shoulder then got in the back. The girl behind the wheel drove me to my office. She was a slim thing with horns and I thought about striking up a casual conversation with her. The look in her eyes reflected by the rear view mirror convinced me it would be a worthless attempt. Twenty minutes later I hopped out of the car and she sped off. I took a deep breath of the late morning air and climbed the stairs. My face ached and I was surprised I had not been hurt more by that lizard girl, the Vampire or the Oni. I fumbled with my keys and grasped the knob of my door but it opened without me unlocking it. The door creaked as I slowly pushed it open while drawing my gun.

	The file was still on my desk yet there was something new on top of it. A small black leather address book. I quickly checked the rest of the office and the bathroom seeing no one around. Grumbling that someone couldn't have just left the book at the door I holstered the gun then picked it up off the desk. The first page had the name Lilith on it in purple ink. The second page had the name Mahatma in red ink. The third page had the name Saiyuki on it in green ink. The last page had the name Victoria written in blue ink. Below each name were the seven digits of their telephone numbers. I turned back to Lilith's name for a moment and the phone number was correct. The rest of the pages were completely blank and I took one more look around the office before closing the door.

	I had no idea who Saiyuki was. I sat down at the desk and pulled out the bottle of bourbon. It was getting low and I'd have to buy another soon. I did not bother with a glass as I drank a mouthful from the bottle. I slammed it down on the desk and flipped to the last name in the book. It stood out in the blue ink with a little heart where the dot on the I would be. There was only one person I knew who wrote their name that way. I opened the drawer of the desk and pulled out a letter that was in a faded envelope. Slipping the crinkled pages free I read it for the hundredth time. It was a short and sweet letter two paragraphs long. The author confessed her feelings for me and told me I was an idiot for not picking up on them a year before. She said she had to meet me in the park the night the letter was delivered or she'd forever slip out of my grasp. It was written in blue ink with a little heart instead of a dot over the I on the name signed at the bottom.

	I'd met her in the park that night under the moonlight five years ago. I'd hoped she felt something for me but I couldn't be sure. She had claimed that the signals were obvious but I'd seen her flirt with others at work the way she had flirted with me. The night of her confession was one of the best nights of my life. I looked at the name Victoria in the book one more time. She was a Kitsune whom had confessed her love for me. She was my former partner and she'd broken into my office to leave me an address book. I couldn't say if she was taunting me or pushing me in the direction she wanted my feet to go. She had left her number but I wouldn't call it. After taking a second long swig from the bottle I picked up the dusty phone and dialed the number for Saiyuki. It rang three times before she answered.