Detective Docherty and the Sorcerer's Game: Detective Docherty, #3

By Sarah WaterRaven

It's summer in the city of Toronto, the trees are green, the birds are singing, and among the construction and car exhaust, the Detective and his assistants are on the move. Trouble is stirring between the worlds of man and magick. Otherkin and fairy murders have gone-on unnoticed and without consequence, and while the human legal system feels it is out of their jurisdiction, the detective agency feels otherwise.

Overwhelmed with reports of fairy and otherkin washing up dead on the shores of Lake Ontario and mysterious murders happening throughout the city, the Detective and his team are feeling the heat. Are these murders linked? Who could be powerful enough to take out so many otherkin? Should they go ahead and just blame the wizards or get on with the real detective work? And anyone happen to know what a Gagnonian is? Who wrote this???

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sarah WaterRaven
• Release date: Jun 7, 2019
• ISBN: 9780991688456

Book preview

Prologue

Psst, Steve.

Al waited for him to answer. When nothing happened, he turned his computer chair to face the back of the cargo van. He winced as he knocked a box of powdered donuts off the desk.

Sorry to disturb you, Steve, but she just left the market. She’s got him with her.

Steve stood up slowly. His muscles rippled as he moved. He stepped off his meditation mat and reached for his vest by his altar. He paused to press his tan fingers to his lips, and then to the forehead of the Virgin Mary, who stood vigil over his altar. He turned to face Al. No matter how long they had worked together and how much Al respected the guy, Steve still gave him the willies. He had every saint tattooed on his body, was as tall as Big Foot, and shaved his head with a machete.

I had a vision, Steve informed him in a low voice.

Oh yeah, what was it? Al asked as he grabbed a bag of chips and began eating.

I saw Saint George, the dragon slayer, as I have before. He told me of a maiden, fair like his Alexandria, in need of help. She is surrounded by monsters, and we are to free her. He picked up his favorite sword and several knives, placing each in their designated pockets along his vest and pants.

Cool, but we’re going to take care of this job first, right? I mean, the wife paid us in advance, so... Al said before swallowing a mouthful of ketchup chips.

Yes, he replied absently.

Barefoot and wearing only his pants and vest, Steve opened the back doors and jumped out of the van. Al hit the button to close the automatic doors he’d installed and turned to watch his surveillance cameras.

The couple he’d been watching hadn’t gone far. Al adjusted himself in his seat as he watched the vampire press her full figure against the slob she’d been whoring around with all week. Al didn’t get it. The guy had a beautiful human wife, a kid, and another one on the way, but somehow that wasn’t enough. Here he was, paying to get his kicks from some freak.

Al didn’t care much for all that religious mumbo-jumbo like Steve, but he knew a freak when he saw one. And being with an undead whore who sucked on blood to live definitely wasn’t right.

While Steve got into position, Al picked up his copy of Creature Catalog: A Roleplayer’s Guide to Magical Beasts and looked up vampires.

The book said they’d need a high roll to take a vampire out. Steve was definitely a high roll. He read through a couple of paragraphs and decided beheading was their best bet, but you never knew with Steve. Sometimes the guy got creative. Al shuddered and put the book down.

God, you’re hot, the guy said on the monitor.

We are beautiful by design, the vampire replied, smiling with her vibrant red lips.

Do you want to do it here or g-go someplace more private? the man stammered.

Al shook his head. Gross. He adjusted himself again.

What kind of woman do you think I am, my sweet? There’s no rush for that. Let’s get to know one another more. And the best way to do that is if I taste your blood. It tells me everything...everything I need to know about you and it strengthens our bond. She bit her lip, batted her thick eyelashes, and kissed him softly.

I—I know. I know. I just...I want you so bad. I love what we do, I do, I just... He trailed off nervously.

"How about this? Money first, then a kiss, she purred, and then we’ll talk about more." The vampire rubbed her cold, white cheek against his. Her blonde hair was done up in an elegant fashion. A curl had escaped and hung artfully by her face.

The man dug around in his pocket for his wallet. He pulled it out and handed her several hundred in cash.

Here. Here, please. I need it, he begged pathetically.

The woman took the money and placed it in her bosom, tucking it away underneath the red fabric of her dress. She couldn’t have been more stereotypical, but then her job was to give him what he wanted.

The vampire teased him at first, inhaling along his neck and then nibbled his ear. He shuddered.

Here, let me take off my hat first. He removed his dirty work hat, revealing his messy brown hair, and dropped it to the ground.

She opened her mouth.

Al sat forward. He watched as her fangs extended slowly, prepping for the bite.

Kyle Morris, you have been found guilty of sin. Steve announced, emerging from the shadows.

The vampire whipped her head around to glare at him.

Listen pal, Kyle barked, if you knew what was good for you, you’d turn and walk away.

Al chuckled and ate more chips.

Sin amongst the most vile and unholy, Steve continued as he paced around the couple, his expression blank.

Get the hell out of here, Kyle demanded as he put a protective hand on his otherkin hooker.

She ripped his hand off of her, startling him.

Krista, he gasped.

I’ll handle this, Kyle, she said in a low voice. Her fingernails lengthened into claws.

No one will ever find your body, she told Steve.

Steve dropped, rolled, and popped up directly in front of the vampire, slicing her in half with his sword as he came up. It took her a moment to realize she’d been cut in two. She peeled apart, both halves falling to the ground.

"Oh my God. Krista! Oh MY GOD!" Kyle screeched.

Steve wiped his blade and repeated calmly, Kyle Morris, you have been found guilty of sin, of breaking your marriage vows, and of consorting with the Devil. By the Grace of God, I strike you down and send you to the deepest pits of hell.

You can’t kill me, Kyle shouted. I’m human. That’s murder. Get away from me. Get the hell away from me! Kyle stumbled in his attempt to flee, but he couldn’t outpace Steve, who was on him in a second. Steve sheathed his blade, grabbed Kyle by the head, and snapped his neck with a hard sideways thrust.

Once finished, he knelt down, grabbed his rosary beads and began his prayer.

Al clapped his hands in excitement and got up to find a washroom.

Chapter One

Ares, have you seen what the papers are saying about the True Vampyre incident? Docherty asked, holding The Toronto Sun and Moon.

I believe I read something about it this evening, yes, Ares replied, setting his laptop aside.

It was early evening and cases had been sparse, so sparse in fact, Ares could see the animal and plant patterns in the carpet. When business was favorable, he sometimes didn’t see the floor for months.

Up until that moment, Ares had wrongly assumed they’d both been filling out paperwork regarding a neighborly dispute between a gnome and bogle they’d resolved yesterday evening. These types of cases were normally handled within the fairy community, however the gnome had moved into the bogle’s section of a local park and their fighting had become so vehement, it had begun to terrify residents and local wildlife. One caller claimed a willow she’d read under for the past two years somehow uprooted itself and moved half a kilometer away, presumably to escape the bickering.

Considering Docherty was focused on the news however, instead of their report, Ares decided to address the Detective’s inquiry further. If I remember correctly, one paper read that officials pointed to a single remaining True Vampyre, while another claimed that ‘unlike originally believed, vampires are an organized group seeking dominion over mankind, so organized in fact, that they potentially murdered over a hundred people in the city of Toronto last spring and created an undead army.’ The reporter went on to postulate the possible reasons for the army, which were all complete fabrications, and I could not be bothered to read the rest.

Yes, Docherty confirmed, "and no mention of the fairy and otherkin who were killed. I understand why the werewolves would wish to remain hidden but, by Jove, what we really need right now are otherkin heroes to counter the evil Bianca has spread. Over a hundred victims! Of course, the number is based on the reports of missing people and not the actual body count of ghouls, which should have included otherkin and fairy deaths, but it doesn’t matter. Sadly, most people would not have cared.

Humans have a history of placing their own lives above others, but for a while there—it seemed fairy and otherkin were different. The wind has changed, my friend. The wind has changed. The romance between man and magick is over. Time will tell how mankind truly feels about their fairy and otherkin neighbors. Docherty returned to his reading. 

Ares had flinched when the Detective mentioned Bianca. He turned to gaze again at the empty corner chair, as he had done every night since Alexandria’s disappearance. While Docherty would not tell Ares that she regularly came to the office to help and visit with him during the day, Ares knew she had been there. Her lavender and ocean spray smell tickled his senses every night when he came in. If he arrived before Docherty, he sometimes sat in her chair to see if he could still feel her warmth.

Vvvvvvzzzzzip!

The vacuum sensation he was feeling could mean only one thing and one thing only. Ares stood up.

Dean Matthius popped into the center of the room.

Ah-ah, my good man, the Dean said as he waved his finger at Ares. If you wish to remain organic, I recommend you stay where you are. I merely came to pay you for your services.

Pay us? Ares snapped.

Don’t be so modest. You and the Detective here did an excellent job. You not only solved the case of who murdered my students, but you captured the creature who did it. Here, Detective, I think you shall find this amount more than adequate. The Dean smiled as he handed an envelope to Docherty. I commend you on your fine work.

Docherty took the envelope and opened it.

I say, yes, this does far more than cover it, but we surely do not require this amount—

The Dean cut him off saying, I won’t hear of it. As far as I am concerned, this agency outperformed any of my expectations. I’ve included within the envelope a letter of recommendation that you may forward to any other parties inquiring after your services.

And the True Vampyre? Ares asked, fists clenched. What became of her? Despite how self-absorbed Ares knew he himself could be, he did not understand the Dean's pompous behavior.

What do you think this is? The dark ages? We handed her over to the proper authorities, naturally, the Dean said with conviction.

And the deception? Ares asked.

My dear boy, I have no idea what you’re talking about, Dean Matthias replied coolly. Now then, Detective, I take my leave of you. All debts are paid. Interesting though, about the werewolves, eh? One has to wonder how long it will be until their full involvement in the case is discovered. Dean Matthias flashed a sly smile. He then bowed to Docherty and disappeared with a loud pop.

What did he mean by that? Ares asked, staring at the empty space.

The Detective answered, He means he knows about Rhineheart’s pack. What he intends to do with that information, I’m afraid we’ll have to wait to find out.

There was a ding from Ares’s laptop, signifying an e-mail.

Docherty jumped to his feet and knocked some papers over. Pixies! he shouted.

Ares stared at him. There was an awkward silence before he said, It was my laptop.

Yes, yes of course, Docherty replied and pretended to tidy his desk. H-hem, h-hem.

He sat down and sipped his tea. The Detective had been on pixie watch since the incident at Coote’s Paradise. He was convinced one or two had stolen away in one of their jackets and were now spying on them in the office.

With all their machines working without glitch, Ares highly doubted that. Pixies or no, it was highly unsettling that Mr. Pompous-what’s-his-wand could drop into the office any time he liked. Perhaps this was a good excuse for talking to Alexandria. He could approach her with concern for the Detective and the office and maybe then she would talk to him.

Ares thought too about what Docherty had said, about how what the city really needed was an otherkin or fairy superhero. Maybe something could be done about that.

The waterfall hit the ground with the roar of a beast, drowning out everything, especially Alex’s thoughts as she sat in lotus position on a rock, meditating. The waterfall was ten meters high and while the thunder of the falls was mighty, the mist that sprayed her back was gentle. The delightful presence of water spirits and fairies tickled Alex’s senses as she followed the quiet of her breath in and out in meditation.

In the stillness of her mind, she pictured them: a blue and silver woman in an elegant gown, peering around a rock from within the falls; a little fairy rising up and around Alex, with delicate insect wings and a fish tail; and even the presence of a small crayfish-man, watching her from a shallow pool near the shore.

Alex was not entirely sure how she knew what they looked like without seeing them physically, but she could feel them and picture them perfectly in her mind. Perhaps it was because her mother was a mermaid or because she was a witch, but either way, she sat there in stillness, marveling at them.

After twenty minutes of silent meditation, it was time to take Raven for the hike Alex had promised her. Ever her devoted companion, Raven had lain quietly by the riverbank during her meditation.

When Alex opened her eyes, she smiled at the fairy and otherkin she could still see, and then stood up. She turned to her dog, Well, ready to go?

Raven got up and stretched. Alex paused to give her friend a pat. She pouted thoughtfully when she spotted white hairs on her familiar’s muzzle. Raven was fourteen years old this year. Alex forgot her dog’s age the majority of the time because she hardly showed it, but there were small things that pulled unpleasantly at the back of Alex’s mind lately: moments where Raven took just a little too long to get up, or when lately, she had started to walk behind Alex on trails instead of galloping in front.

Alex knew she had been blessed with the fourteen years she’d already had with Raven, and most dogs were lucky to make it to ten...but still, Alex would never be ready to let go. Never.

She decided to let these unpleasant thoughts slip as she headed toward the stone steps which lead up to the Bruce Trail. The steps were a series of carved out rocks, intermixed with recycled railroad ties, to create natural looking stairs.

As Alex made her way up to the main trail, she caught Raven sniffing a tree and wagging her tail with interest.

Raven, come, Alex said. 

Raven turned, perked her ears, and then padded after her. The steps were steep, so they both took their time and moved carefully.

The waterfall had created a ravine through years of erosion. The trail ran along one side, meandering through the rock face and then gradually descended and followed alongside the river. It was beautiful, yet challenging.

It was summer and the green of the forest was at its peak. Trees carpeted the landscape, jutting out of cliff sides, and continued on to fill out the rocky escarpment, all the way up to the tallest rise. The atmosphere was tranquil, minus the fact that they were being followed. Unable to take it anymore, Alex stopped at the next rise.

She turned, shaking her head. I know you’re there, Faolan. Come on out.

She heard the scrape of boot against rock as Faolan stepped onto the trail. Though Faolan appeared to have emerged from rock, Alex knew better. He had merely stepped out of his glamor and into reality. As royalty, Faolan’s glamor was more powerful than that of lesser fairy and harder for Alex to see through, but the way Raven had kept stopping to wait for someone and the undeniable feeling they were being followed had led her to only one conclusion.

Alex waited for him to say something. She looked directly at him, but he looked everywhere else.

I thought we agreed that you would give me space, Alex said.

I know, he answered softly.

She continued, Giving me space doesn’t mean glamoring yourself so I don’t know you’re there. She moved a pebble with her shoe and then waited for a response.

I know what we discussed, but after what happened—Alex, I cannot let something like that happen again. I can’t.

Heartache and sincerity filled his brilliant green eyes.

His beauty hurt her, and she turned away. He had left her. He had left her without explanation for months and with no promise of returning. Alex had mourned his leaving as she would his death. Now, he was back in her life, telling her he had a purpose in it—as if he were her savior and protector, but the truth was, she didn’t need one.

Faolan, I can take care of myself. What happened was bad, real bad, and I know that. I am thankful that you and Docherty and everyone else came to help me and to stop that vampyre from ruining our city, but she’s gone now. I don’t need you, or anyone right now. What I need is some time alone. I need time to decide if I want you in my life. The words almost choked her as they came out. She loved him. She loved him so much, but she didn’t know if she could trust him, and it scared her enough to question a future with him.

I— he paused, I know you do not need me. That’s perhaps the saddest truth I have come to in these last couple of months, but I believe that I can make you happy, that I can enrich your life and add to it. I just need the chance. I know it’s silly following you around, but I cannot express the guilt and shame I feel for having left you. And then finding out you had been kidnapped and almost...that pain drives me forward constantly, to better myself, and to show you I can be the person you once thought me to be.

Faolan looked at her as he spoke, determination in his eyes, though his stance was weak with heartbreak. His face, though beautiful, showed signs of fatigue.

Alex sighed. I’ll consider it. Of course I’ll consider it, but you need to give me the space to do so.

Faolan replied, I understand, but please also understand, I am never too far away.

I know. Goodbye for now, okay? Alex gave him a small smile, and then said, Raven, come. She continued down the trail quietly, with only Raven in tow.

DD icons ares jpeg

I realize you could have been eaten or turned into an undead slave, Yusuf, but I think what I pay you is more than generous, Ares said to his driver while he waited in the limo for Docherty. The Detective had requested they meet outside the office at nine to discuss an important case.

It’s not for Yusuf. Yusuf corrected him. It’s for mine son. With his crooked teeth, how can he hope to make it in this world? He wants to be a—a lawyer, but who will take him serious with crooked teeth? He’ll be laughed at.

I hardly think there is a correlation between becoming a successful lawyer and having straight teeth, Ares replied. Besides, last Christmas’s bonus should have more than covered—

The limo door flew open and Docherty jumped in excitedly. He cut Ares off as he sat. Ah, good evening chaps! We have quite the night ahead of us.

Hello Detective, Yusuf greeted him, tipping his hat respectfully. He slunk back into his seat and faced forward.

Docherty smiled at Yusuf and then removed his hat. He waved a folder at Ares and blurted out, There’s been a murder.

How surprising, Ares said dryly.

I say, does Yusuf have any of those delightful mints he sometimes keeps in the mini bar?

Ares reached over and grabbed a handful of mints. He passed them to the Detective absently. Instantly giddy, Docherty tossed them into his mouth.

On a more serious note, Docherty said, fiddling with his seat belt, it was a vampire that was killed.

More attacks on otherkin? Could Bianca have resurfaced? Ares asked, taking the folder and scanning it. Other than a True Vampyre, not much else could kill a turned one.

This incident did not bear Bianca’s particular signature of blood and gore, but someone else's, Docherty told him, still fussing over his seatbelt. As you can see, he continued, the body was cleaved in half and then burned. Only some bones and a few teeth remained.

Here, Ares said as he put the file down to help Docherty. While Ares yanked the seatbelt out from the cushions, Docherty flailed, hitting Ares repeatedly. Stop moving, one second, Ares snapped irritably. The Detective was all limbs until Ares finally got the seatbelt unstuck and buckled.

Once the Detective was situated, Ares picked up the file. He paused to straighten his hair and vest before saying, It says a human body was also recovered.

Ah, yes. Docherty replied. His neck was just broken though, nothing special. Turning to Yusuf, he said, To Demetre’s Graveyard, ol’ boy! We are in a hurry.

Ares complained, The pub?

Yes! Docherty chirped with a big grin.

DD icons ares jpeg

Demetre’s Graveyard was a pub of questionable repute near downtown Toronto. It was close enough to downtown that tourists could wander in but far enough away from the main strip to keep it off the radar of the Toronto Police Service.

Despite the Greek name, the pub’s style was English, with brick walls and booth cushions made of dark red velvet. The wallpaper bordering the interior looked dusty and used from years of smoke damage. Despite the cigarette ban, Ares could smell the vile ashtray aroma that still clung to the booths and walls. He grimaced. He detested the smell of cigarette smoke.

Docherty led the way in a hurried fashion. His portly body did its best to maneuver amongst the numerous chairs and tabletops situated throughout the pub.

They reached the bar, where Docherty sat down beside a young woman.

Ah, Haggatha, there you are, Docherty said between huffs. Glad we caught up with you,

The woman rolled her eyes and clunked her drink down. From what Ares could discern, it was whiskey. She let out a sigh as if she had been expecting the ambush.

Ice tea for me, Docherty told the bartender. He turned to Ares asking, Ares, anything?

No, thank you, Ares replied, taking a seat at a nearby table.

Just the tea then, thank you.

Docherty smiled at the male bartender.

Ares gave Haggatha a cool stare. She sighed again and turned to the Detective, Well, what is it? she asked.

So happy you asked. First, we came to express our sincerest condolences about the loss of your friend, Krista. I know the two of you were quite close. Second, we came to ask if you knew anything pertaining to her death. Any detail, even if it seems insignificant, may be important. So, please, Docherty said as he got out his pad and pencil, whatever you can think of.

The woman turned to face him. Despite the fact that she was young, Ares noticed there was a stagnant air about her, one that implied age and decay. He suspected she was not human.

Haggatha