Happigo Bloodeye

By Justin Fraser

Benton Harles is murdered in the home of Dame Venetti. Happigo Bloodeye is mildly intoxicated after a failed night of searching for someone to dance with. Her best friend, Officer Lily, the half-werewolf, enlists Happigo to investigate the scene of the crime. The blood is running cold, and only the ancient power Happigo hides beneath an eyepatch will help find a murderer amidst vampires, werewolves, mummies, and homonculi. It's time for Happigo to sober up and get sleuthing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Justin Fraser
• Release date: Apr 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301227624

Justin Fraser

Writer of short stories and full-length novels, some here and some elsewhere. Lifetime martial artist. Game and anime lover. Reader of many ancient tomes. Fan of sci-fi, fantasy, mystery, and horror novels. Loves writing action scenes. Draws and animates things, but very poorly. Draws most of his own covers like a buffoon. Terrifying enemy. Eats good foods.RREDIT

Book preview

Happigo Bloodeye

By Justin Fraser

Copyright 2013 Muppy Heingardt

Smashwords Edition

The large one was, categorically, nothing more than a giant fish. It was the other that presented the problem. She was about Happigo's height, but did not share Happigo's skinny frame. Fit, toned, and carnivorous in her advance, she gleamed with a headstrong radiance, defiant of obstacle and exploding with assertiveness. Her name was Lily, and of the two, she was the more dangerous.

She was also Happigo's best friend.

Better go with it, Happigo concluded.

She waved a hand. How's it going, alpha?

The woman narrowed her eyes. I asked you to stop calling me that.

Then stop looking so macho. What do you want?

What do you think? I just wasted half an hour sniffing you out. We need an investigator for a murder. What's going on? she said. You don't usually start drinking this early, Happigo.

Happigo sighed, pushing her glass away. Sorry, Lily. Seems I ended up with a lot of time for drinking. People stopped dancing with me. She touched the patch covering her right eye. It's because of this. I didn't get very far tonight.

Yeah. Again. But money should cheer you up. I could have gone to someone else, but I think about my friends.

Damn that Lily! A real police dog. Happigo had the choice, naturally, to turn down the case, but for what? Nobody wanted to dance with a Bloodeye, and if she argued with Lily she would be going against everything from her own alcoholic confusion to Lily's werewolf tenacity.

Happigo tried getting up, but between the dim lights, the chatter of patrons and the music and dancing surrounding the stage, her senses became overloaded. She fell, and was caught by Officer Cadm, the fish man. His hands were cool and moist, and felt a little like wet rubber against Happigo's exposed arms.

Hell, Lily said, Are you going to be able to do this?

Hoisting herself up with a barstool, she said, Yes. I'm depressed more than drunk. My head will clear after I get changed.

Lily frowned. We really need to go now. Active scene. Or should we really find someone else?

Happigo looked down. Getting escorted around town in these clothes by a giant fish man and a werewolf would have people talking. She wondered if some place existed in the vast universe where it was the responsibility of the police to do investigations of crime scenes. Sure, it would be messy and irresponsible to allow policemen to play scientist, but Happigo had a strong desire to wake up somewhere wondering how she got there and what had happened the previous night. The prerequisite would be at least three more glasses of something toxic.

Then again, money was nice for going to parties and buying the poisons necessary for a healthy mind.

Okay. Im good. Wait...ow. Ow, my head..."

Geez. My fault for not calling you first, I guess. Do you need us to get you a coffee on the way?

Happigo braced herself against the solid wall of Cadm. "Yes. Fine. It's fine. Let's go."

***

They entered the gates of a large mansion. Happigo wanted to count the windows, but the world seemed to stretch away into a chasm if she focused on anything. The windows were tinted black, inset on grey stone, enhancing the dizzying