The genie, for all the good his coins will pay me, is no longer a client. Whenever I lose a client, I have to drown my sorrows. It's a ritual I do, a way for me to keep my head on straight. If it's all business all the time, I would go crazy. This world… it's not what most people think it is. Yes, I don't ask questions about who wants which creature captured or killed, but I do believe that each one off the streets is better for humanity overall. People tend to get caught in the crosshairs at times, and those people end up dead for their troubles, and all because the paranormal community wishes to remain secreted away.
If they would just come out…
But I understand why they don't. People fear what they don't understand. I certainly feared the vampires and the others when I first learned about them, but I didn't have a choice. I had to adapt, or else I would've been another casualty. I refuse to become a statistic. I will live and die on my own terms. Yes, every day is a roll of the dice, and sometimes, I wish I could go back to playing Dungeons and Dragons with my brother, but that's impossible now. Life has changed. I'm not the same girl anymore, and my brother…
So, yes, I slow things down after a client dumps me, which, all things considering, doesn’t happen all that often. A few times, I’ve even had to kill former clients, but that’s another story. Life is a roller coaster, and you have to take the ups and the downs. The valleys suck, so does the climb, but in the end, things should balance each other out. At least I hope so.
Before I came of age, I would drown myself in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. I’m twenty-one now, been for a few months, so maybe I’ll head to a bar instead, especially since another client told me about a bar that’s run by and frequented by supernaturals. They might not want a human there, but I’m not any human. If the bartender goes, “We don’t serve your kind here,” I’ll just make a Star Wars reference. I’m also not gonna go unarmed, and if anything should happen, I will shoot first. Just like Han did.
The name of the bar is Ye Ole Chestplate. The sign is metal, not wooden, with a knight chiseled onto it. I love it, and I stroll inside and am promptly disappointed. It looks like any other bar.
The hostess chomps on her gum as if she’s starving. “Just one?” she asks, bored, not even looking up at me.
“Yep.”
“Find a place…” She looks up and freezes.
I grin. “Anywhere?”
“We don’t—”
"I'm not a droid." My grin's even wider now. "You can serve me. My money is the same as a vampire's."
She narrows her eyes. They’re purple, and the only hint of what she is, although she’s scrambling to draw her hair forward, so I’m guessing her ears are pointed.
“The same as an elf’s,” I add.
“You must be Rebel,” she finally says, relaxing some. “I heard about you, but I didn’t think you were real.”
“Because humans are weak and pathetic creatures who can’t possibly be a bounty hunter for your kinds.” I wave my hand to encompass the room. “It’s a lot tamer here than I expected.”
She snorts. "That's because there's an enchantment over the place, so humans won't want to come here and eat and drink."
“I still do.”
"Yeah, but if you think it's tame, then it's working on you at least somewhat." The fairy leans forward. "I'm sure you have a talisman or something similar to help see through enchantments, but I'll lift it for you."
“In exchange for…” I’m no fool. No one, especially not a fairy, does something for nothing.
"Can you prank my boyfriend? You'll see him once I lift it. Aeden will be in the corner, wearing the black trench coat. Jet black hair, crazy light blue eyes. Tell him you were hired to clip his wings unless he proposes to me."
I shrug. “Sounds simple enough. No problem.”
“Great!” She beams.
“Wait a second. The owners won’t like it if I come in here and conduct business. I’ll get thrown out. I’ll just drop the enchantment myself.” I start to reach into my pouch.
“Don’t worry about it.” The fairy waves her hand. “My parents own the place, and they want him to propose already. I’ve considered asking him myself, but my parents will freak out if I do. They’re such traditionalists in some aspects.”
“Wait. Fairies make the food here?” I ask, my heart sinking. Fairy food and humans don’t mix. Neither does fairy drink.
“Yeah, so if I were you, I wouldn’t eat anything, but you can drink just fine. We have a dwarf who brews everything, so you don’t have to worry there.”
“All right, then. You’ve got yourself a deal…”
“Vinca.” She eyes me a moment, and she smiles even wider. “Some people hate you, but we all have to make a living, right? I think I like you.”
“Will you still like me if this doesn’t work?”
“That’s on him, not you. That you’re willing to do this… We’re friends.”
“If you say so.” I’m not too crazy about having friends. People die far too easily, but fairies tend to live a good long while, so maybe in this case, things’ll work out. It would be nice to have a friend. Maybe.
Her purple-painted lips move, but I hear no sound. She holds out her hands, and dust rises. She blows the dust onto me, and I sneeze and then start to cough. As soon as I recover, everything changes. The walls aren’t wooden but metal, just like the sign, and the columns on either side of the welcome area aren’t columns at all but suits of armor complete with swords and shields. Behind, instead of being almost dead, the place is hopping. There’s barely an open seat in the place, people are shouting out their orders, laughing, drinking, eating, just having a good time. Some fairies are flying instead of sitting, and there are ogres, goblins, trolls… And that’s just those closest to me. I’m sure there are a ton of other different creatures here.
I stand on my tiptoes and spy her boyfriend. “Are you ready for this?” I ask.
“Please!”
Chuckling to myself, I maneuver through the packed place, making certain not to bump into anyone. I don’t want to be the center of attention, but that’s going to change as soon as I talk to her boyfriend.
“Aeden,” I say as I approach him.
His eyes really are a light blue. It makes him look otherworldly. He probably has to wear colored contacts when he goes out in public.
“I knew I would find you here.” I pull out the chair across from him but don’t sit. “I’m here for you.”
“I’m taken,” he says.
“You aren’t wearing a ring.”
Aeden glances from me toward the front.
“Here’s how it’s going to go,” I inform him. “I’m going to clip your wings, right here, right now.”
“You’re that insane human bounty hunter, aren’t you?” Aeden jumps to his feet, and those around us fall silent. “Who would want you to clip my wings?”
“You want to keep them? That’s fine. All you have to do—”
“Is propose to Vinca,” he says with a laugh. He shakes his head. “Do you have any idea what it’s like to date a fairy?”
“I can’t say I’ve experienced that,” I say dryly.
“She’ll want the largest, grandest gesture for a proposal. Just getting down on one knee won’t be good enough. I would give her the wings off my back if I could! I actually came here to try and brainstorm a way to propose to her that she’ll accept, and this is what she does? Pretends to hire a—”
"Oh, this isn't pretend." I cross my arms. "What's it going to be? You popping the question, or am I gaining fairy wings?"
He gapes at me.
“Just ask her now in front of everyone,” I murmur. “That’ll be grand enough. Think about it. She went to all this trouble with me. She’s going to say yes.”
“Or she’ll say no and embarrass me.”
“If she does that, dump her,” I say flatly. “That would be cruel. I don’t know Vinca very well, but I don’t think that’s her.”
"No," he murmurs.
A slow smile covers his face, and he takes to the air. His wings flutter wildly as he reaches the height of the cathedral ceiling. I hadn't looked up before, but the ceiling is breathtaking, all glass, the darkening sky visible. A few stars twinkle down on us like a fairy wonderland. I giggle to myself.
“Vinca!” Aeden calls out.
The hostess eyes her boyfriend with a slight smirk. She leans on her desk, elbow resting on menus, her hand cupping her chin.
“Will you do me the honor of sharing our life’s flight together for the rest of our lives?”
Aw. What a cute way to phrase the question.
All around us, people and creatures begin to cheer and clap. A minotaur stomps his hooves, and a banshee shrieks.
I can’t hear Vinca’s response, but she flies up to him, and they kiss, embracing, their wings coming together as they slowly circle in place, hovering in mid-air. It’s a beautiful sight.
“Drinks are on the house!” someone calls.
There’s a mad dash to the bar, and I’m just able to see a proud-looking fairy couple. They must be the owners and Vinca’s parents.
A pang hits my chest, seeing all of the happiness and joy.
It takes a good twenty minutes for there to be a spot at the bar. There are several bartenders working, and a troll bartender eyes me skeptically. Her skin is a pale icy-blue color, and her eyes are yellow. Her ears are huge and pointed, and her tusks gleam in the light. Even though her long hair is white, I don't think she's old. I could be wrong, though. It's not always easy to tell a paranormal creature's age.
“Why are you here?” she asks.
I jerk my thumb at the fairy couple who haven’t come down from their perch in mid-air. They’re probably still kissing yet.
“Yeah, I got that part, but why are you still here?”
“A bar with free drinks. Yeah, I’m gonna take advantage.”
The troll wipes the counter down. “And what will you have?”
“Whatever you want to give me. No food, though.”
That gets her to crack a smile. “Smart human.”
“I have a name.”
“Rebel,” she mutters. “One second.”
She disappears into the back.
Someone claims the stool beside me, someone short. I glance over. A curly mop of red hair. Blue eyes. Red beard and mustache. He’s not wearing anything green and doesn’t have a hat, but his short stature can only mean one thing.
He bangs on the counter. Another bartender sees him, fills a tankard, and slides it down the counter to him.
"Down on your luck?" I quip.
The leprechaun glowers at me, his face twisting with anger. His entire body is trembling as he grabs his tankard and starts to climb down from his stool.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that.” I wince.
“Ah, you shouldn’t have, lass. It’s not the first time I’ve heard that here, though, and it won’t be the last. Since the drinks on the house because of you, I’ll be letting it slide. Just this once.”
“It won’t happen again,” I promise.
The troll returns. “Don’t ask me what it’s called. Don’t ask me what’s in it. I had Hudol whip you up something special.”
“He the dwarf?” I ask.
She nods and rushes away to help another customer.
I eye the yellow foaming drink, shrug, and take a sip. Whatever it is, it’s delicious and goes down smooth. Fruity and sweet without being overpowering. This could be dangerous. Just the one, then.
“I’m actually glad you’re here,” the leprechaun says.
“Oh?” I side-eye him. “Do you have a job for me?”
“Aye, I do, lass. I want you to bring me in a werewolf while in wolf form. Can you handle that?”
“That depends.”
He eyes me, waiting.
“Are you willing to pay?”
The leprechaun places a stack of twenties on the bar. “That’s just a down payment,” he says.
I don’t look away from his face. “I can do it.”
I reach for the money, but he lays a hand on my wrist.
“Not any werewolf. I want the alpha of the Blood Moon pack.”
“That’ll cost you double.”
“Deal.”
We shake hands and then start to talk about the weather and other nonsense small talk. Instead of just one drink, I have three, but that’s more because of the nature of my new job than wanting to forget about losing a client.
A werewolf in wolf form? Doable. An alpha? Harder but still feasible. The alpha of the Blood Moon pack?
I should’ve asked for triple.