It was a Tuesday. The day started off normal enough. I woke up next to the most beautiful woman in the world, my girlfriend, Isidra. I remember staring at her for a while, just watching her sleep. It was one of my favorite things to do. I know, creeper, but it doesn’t count when you’ve been together for four years.
As I was putting some biscuits in the oven, I felt hands wrap around me.
“Good morning, handsome.” She whispered in my ear.
“Is all of that for you, or are you going to share with me?”
As I turned around to see her, she kept her arms around me. She was still naked. I bent my head and kissed her on the forehead.
“I hadn’t planned on sharing with you, but I could be persuaded to change my mind. What do you have to trade?”
She stepped back from me with her arms spread wide so that I could see her better. She stood 5’10” and weighed about 180 lbs. She had a caramel complexion, with the most beautiful brown eyes and black curly hair that hung down just shy of her nipples. Speaking of nipples, that woman had some amazing boobs, which is what I was staring at when she said.
“I guess you’ll take the trade?”
I kept staring, not hearing what she said. I was only thinking about if we had enough time for a quickie before I had to leave for work. She must have been reading my mind because she stepped closer and put her hand on my crotch. She felt my arousal and smiled a devilish smile.
“Down, boy. You will just have to wait. I have to make sure the food is worth the trade.”
“Ouch,” I exclaimed
“Did you make me coffee, babe?”
“No, I didn’t. You never drink it all. Plus, you have your iced coffee in the fridge.”
She pouted.
“I do drink it. Some of it.”
“I’m not making coffee for you, woman. I’ll pour you of your stuff.”
“I want the hot coffee. It makes me feel in sync with you.”
“Babe, we’ve talked about this. We are in sync. We don’t have to do and like all the same things to be in sync.”
“Ugh. Just forget it. You don’t understand.”
“You still love me,” I insisted.
“Maybe, but I don’t like you,” she responded, sticking her tongue out at me.
We sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee and chatting. She was trying to convince me that we needed to go to Disneyland. I wasn’t sold on the idea. She insisted it was worth spending $2,000 or more so we could get park hoppers and stay at some fancy hotel connected to the park or something special like that.
As the conversation died down, I looked at my watch and realized what time it was.
“Shit! I’m going to be late. LT is going kill me.”
“Don’t worry, babe. I’ll clean up here; you go make the city a safer place. Tell Mike to have Sheila call me. That heifer hasn’t been responding to my texts.”
“Thanks, babe. See you tonight. Don’t forget, 2000 hours at Red Rabbit.”
“How many times do I have to tell you that I don’t know military time? Speak like a normal person.”
“How long have you been with me and still don’t know military time? You grew up in a house with it. It’s 8:00 pm. By the way, you should wear that dress I like. The red one that hugs those curves of yours oh so nicely.”
“I won’t have any curves left if you keep burning breakfast,”
I headed to our bedroom to start getting ready. As I reached into one of my drawers, I saw some mail I had left there the day before. It was a delinquent payment notice for one of her school loans.
“My love,” I yelled down the hall.
“Yes, babe,” came her angelic voice.
“Did you make the payment on your loan yesterday? It’s 60 days past due.”
I didn’t expect to get the answer I wanted. Isidra was a high-maintenance woman, which is fine if you have the money for it. She worked as a nurse, so she should have the money for it, but school loans are a pain in the ass. We agreed to knock out all of our debt before buying a house. The problem was she kept buying expensive things we didn’t need.
“Yes, boss, I did. Are you happy now?”
I didn’t respond immediately. I pulled on my T-shirt as I walked down the hall.
“You know I do listen to you sometimes, just not when I think you’re wrong.”
“If you listened to me more often, your payment wouldn’t have been late.”
“If I had listened to you then we would have missed the food festival.”
“If we had missed the food festival, we would have put $247 toward our debt and not a bunch of stuff you’re going to get rid of in 6 months.” I stuck my tongue out at her as I finished talking.
“You know, my mom would have loved you. She always nagged me about spending my allowance and never saving anything.”
“I wish I could have met her.”
“So do I, babe.” she sighed.
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We kissed, and I left. As I walked to the parking lot, I could hear the couple arguing again upstairs. I had run a background check on the boyfriend. He has been arrested on DV charges a few times. Domestic violence, I mean. Sorry, the terms are second nature for me.
He was a registered Class C Lycan and had been kicked out of the local pack for his abusive nature. They already have a bad rep for being what they are; I guess they don’t like being associated with abusers.
I shot Isidra a text and told her to text me if things got out of hand upstairs. She despised the boyfriend, and not just because he was an abusive asshole.
Scientists have been baffled by what causes Lycanthropy. They have been trying to explain it for years, but any practitioner of magic will tell you there is no scientific explanation for a curse.
I got in my trusty Honda Civic and headed out. I saw a parked car with a broken window just outside the gate. That was the third one this month. I tried to convince the property manager to rent a portable camera system, but since it didn’t happen on the property, they didn’t care.
About three blocks south of my place, I passed several Sheriff’s vehicles, including the coroner’s van and CSI truck. I didn’t have time to find out what was going on, but I could look up the call later.
I arrived a few minutes after 0800 hours. As I was walking into the locker room, my partner and long-time friend, Michael Johnson (no relation) was walking out. Mike is a 5’7” WMA. Sorry, that’s officer jargon for white male adult. Mike has sandy hair and looks like he spends most of his days in the gym. Back in high school, he was on the wrestling team and had a big fan club, mostly made up of underclass girls and even a few guys. Though Mike will never admit it, he liked the attention of both sexes. He was an attention whore back then.
“Yo! Lt. sent me to look for you. He says you’re holding up the briefing.”
“Shit! Tell him I’m here and getting dressed as fast as possible.”
“Yeah, because that will matter so much. Hurry up.”
I set a new record for dressing that day. I walked into the briefing room, and all eyes were on me. I caught the lieutenant’s eye, and he was staring daggers at me. He and I didn’t get along well. I was dating his daughter, and no one was good enough for his Isidra. He continued staring at me as I walked across the room to where Mike was seated. That’s when he addressed me.
“Nice of you to finally join us. Now sit down. Some of us actually want to be here.”
I said nothing and sat beside Mike, and Lt. began the briefing.
It went on for 30 minutes or so, and we were dismissed. I hung back as all of my brothers walked out toward the carpool. I told Mike I would catch up to him in a bit. He wished me luck since he knew what I was about to do.
I approached the lieutenant, my heart rate rising with every step I took
“Sir,” my voice was flat as I attempted to remain calm.
“What is it, Adams?” he retorted
“May I ask you a personal question?”
“You just did. Now, get out there and earn your paycheck. I don’t want my daughter living in that shit hole you call an apartment any longer than she has to. I still don’t know what she sees in you.”
“Sir, I know I’m not the kind of man you had in mind for your daughter, but she loves me, and I love her.”
“You’re damn right, you’re not. Get to the point since you insist on wasting my time.”
“I want to ask for your blessing to marry Isidra.”
He didn’t say anything. He just stared at me. I stared back, not wanting to look weak at this crucial moment.
“No matter what I say, you’re going to propose to her anyway,” He said, with a look of defeat on his face.
“Yes, sir, I am, but I’d much prefer your blessing. Your daughter cherishes your opinion. I don’t want her to be afraid that her marrying me will diminish her relationship with you.”
He continued to stare. After a minute or two, he spoke in a low, calm voice.
“For the longest, I was afraid that one day Isidra would come to me and tell me that the two of you had eloped. I didn’t think you had the balls or the respect needed to come and ask for my blessing. Thank you for that.”
For a moment, I thought I saw a smile on his face. Whatever it was, it didn’t last long.
“You’re welcome, sir. I'd like to think that my mother raised me.”
He cut me off.
“I may not think you’re good enough for my baby girl, but it's long past the time when she hangs on my every word. I know she thinks you’re good enough, and that will have to do, I guess. You have my blessing.”
“Thank you, sir.’
I shook his hand.
“Does this mean I can start calling you dad?”
“Fuck no.!. Now get out there and do your job.”
Before I left, I told him of my proposal plans and invited him to be there. I know it was last minute, but it had to be in case he said no and said something to Isidra about it. I began walking out and as I reached the door, he called out to me.
“Alan. Don’t make me regret this. My family doesn’t believe in divorce. You break her heart and you’ll be the first case on a reboot of Unsolved Mysteries.”
“I won’t, sir. I promise.”
I stepped out of the briefing room and closed the door behind me. I took in a deep breath and let it out. I had done it. Now that the hard part was over, I just had to pop the question.
“How’d it go?” Mike asked as I walked out.
“Surprisingly well. He gave me his blessing and made his vague threat. Actually, It wasn’t vague at all. He said I would be the first case on a reboot of Unsolved Mysteries.”
“Damn, like that? You sure you want to do this? I mean, some of the guys must know some single chicks with no dads in their lives to murder you.”
I chuckled at his joke.
“Keep talking, and I’ll tell Isidra you said that.”
His eyes shot up.
“So, where are you proposing again?”
“How do you not know this? You’re my best man, and you helped me plan this.”
“Yeah, yeah. Where?”
“I’m taking her to her favorite restaurant.”
“Isn’t that a little cliché?”
“Clichés are cliché because they work. Plus, I don’t have money to go anywhere special. Still on baby step 2.”
“I still don’t get this baby step crap. You two make great money; you shouldn’t be living on the bare minimum.”
“You don’t understand because you’ve never had to struggle. I don’t want us to be like most people, making great money, taking trips, and buying expensive things but secretly swimming in debt.”
“I guess you’re right. You could’ve picked up some OT and taken her to Tahoe at least. It’s still snowing up there. It would’ve been beautiful.”
“Dude, you’ve been watching too many romance movies with your wife.”
“Fuck you. I like some of those movies.”
I laughed at him.
“Speaking of Sheila. Tell her to call Isidra. I guess she hasn’t been responding to her text.”
“Who hasn’t responded to who’s text?”
“Sheila hasn’t responded to Isidra’s text, obviously. That’s why she wants Sheila to call.”
“It’s not obvious, or I wouldn’t be asking you, would I?”
“Does it really matter who wasn’t responding to whom? Just tell Sheila to call Isidra.”
“Of course, it matters. What if I said the wrong thing to Shelia? Then I’d have to tell her that you’re an idiot who can’t relay a simple message.”
“I hate you.”
“Love you too, bro.”
When I got to my desk, I checked some emails and then went over the intel provided by the detectives from various departments. After sorting through half of it, I found something interesting. Homicide got some information from a vampire they had arrested. She claimed that she knew of some Lycans who had gone rogue and were planning something, but she didn’t know what it was.
I sent the information to our special investigations unit and asked them to rush it. If we got lucky, they would find that this was bogus information. Rogue Lycans were a problem for everyone.