I woke up abruptly to find myself sitting in a chair in the middle of the bar. I was in a bathrobe, smelling like... well… me, and… flowers. My head was splitting like a cord of firewood, and the sounds of Emily and Teresa moving about the room was loud… too loud. I’d been dusted. Damn.
“You dusted me in my sleep didn’t you?” I growled at Alec, who was spaying some floral concoction on my hear, then brushing it through.
“We had to,” Chaz replied, in his gravelly voice. “The bar smelled like a damned brothel.”
“Emily and the others didn’t need to get out of morning Mass just to be bombarded like that. Non-human…scents… can affect humans in a different way, ya know?” Alec added as he spritzed more stuff on my hair. That scent and him brushing my hair was making my headache fade, putting me in a better mood.
He continued. “We got the bed linens in the wash, and flipped the mattress. Chaz ran a bath and I got you cleaned up. I didn’t mess with your hair. It was funny, watching Chaz hold you upright in the tub by your hair so it didn’t get wet. I would have never gotten done if I took the time to wash it all. You do need me to touch it up again, though.”
“Split ends?” I asked, cringing.
“Yeah but it’s to be expected. This time It’s not that bad.. a couple of inches.”
“I understand,” When I first met Alec, it took him fourteen hours to get my hair looking ‘presentable’ even for the time. Since then he’s been the one who has always taken care of my hair… even letting me use fae products to help repair it when I fucked it up, which I always do.
“Did you run April off when you got here?” I asked, the question coming to mind.
I watched Chaz shake his head. “You were alone when we got here, just after five.
“I see.” I wonder when she left? Doesn’t matter, really. “Well y’all got here early.”
“Chaz was with Raze and Tito, making sure they behaved themselves. I came in early because I knew the place would need to be tidied up after your date. Tito did at least pick up the plates and put the food away, though putting a 150 year old wine in the fridge wouldn’t have been my first choice.”
“That wine reminds me of when I was a little girl…” I told him, as he had moved around for me to see him, his hands and brush working on my tips.
“That’s why I chose it. That and I thought it would make a better impression than a 5 year old bottle of ‘red’…” he added as he attempted to make air quotes with his hands He then blurted out. “I was just doing this not 24 hours ago. Hey Chaz, bring me that blue toolbox behind the counter, will ya?”.
I looked up to see John walking into the bar. The morning sun came right through the door, casting a long shadow as he entered. This time he headed straight to the bar, placing his Glock and Beretta on the counter. A woman following him asked, “What are you doing? We’re law enforcement,” as she closed the door behind her.
He pointed to the sign, which had the woman chuckling. Chaz grabbed the toolbox, then looked at the guns.
“Whatever guns Jac cleans are considered her guns. The sign says nothing about you carrying her guns…” he growled as he brought the tackle box to Alec. John holstered his weapons, shaking his head. “Now your piece needs to be checked.”
The woman was in a beige button down blouse, and a navy blue skirt that came down to her ankles. She had a shoulder holster, sporting a Browning of sorts. I did a lot of research on guns when I decided I was going to start carrying. I fired a couple of Brownings and did not like them at all. I fell in love with my Sig, though the Smith and Wesson Shield M&P would have been my second choice.
Seeing the gun drew me to this woman's face for another look, as I could swear I knew her from somewhere. While I thought about it, she and John made their way to where I was sitting. I decided to comment on John’s monotonous choice in wardrobe.
“Did you watch too many 80’s cop shows growing up?” I jeered, canting my head to the right, stifling a laugh.
“What? I have a new tie…” he said, feeling the need to straighten the blue striped piece of fabric.
“He’s been in that same boring ass getup ever since he made detective,” the woman said, as she winked at me. “Now how long are you gonna stare at my wrinkles before you remember me, you old lizard…”
Before I could come back, she started again, turning to John. “Now check this. I’m a rookie uniformed cop in Somerset County, Pennsylvania when we get a call to a downed plane. September 11, 2001. We roll up to see the carnage. As I’m doing a perimeter sweep, I stumbled across this massive ball of gold scales partially buried in a hillside. I watch, losing my mind as it shrinks to reveal this woman, naked as a jaybird. Come to find out when the passengers were fighting the terrorists, she got knocked out of the sky by the damned wing. While I’m trying to write up all of this in my report, this catholic priest shows up, and tells me not to even mention it. Later that week I got to interview Jackie here and I am told a lot more than I wanted to know. Taking it to my grave though… that’s for sure. No one would believe me if I did tell them.”
“Sandra Evans,” I said, smiling brightly. She feigned a bow and sat down in the booth
John pulled up a chair, the confused look neve leaving his face,. “I didn’t know you knew her,” he said, almost accusingly.
“I didn’t recognize the name. It has been better than twenty years. It all came back to me when I saw her, though.”
“The years have been kind to you, Sandra,” I said, as Emily brought three bottles of beer and handed them out. She then went back to the bar. I added, “I did owe you a beer when I saw you again.”
“That you did. So John here tells me that you’re getting a little too long in the tooth for the state to look the other way, huh.”
“Yeah… Hafta keep up the appearances for the humans…” I said, sighing. She chuckled as John shook his head.
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“How can you be so casual about this, Sandra?” He asked, pointing his beer at her. He turned it up, then looked at me. “Just when I thought I had my head wrapped around something, shit like last night throws me for another loop.”
“What’s he yammering on about?” Sandra asked.
“Did he tell you what happened?” I asked.
“About the dead girl and the shifter?” she asked. “He did. Apparently you lost the bastard.”
“I guess John’s not comfortable with not being at the top of the food chain,” Chaz said softly.
“Well for you it might be common, but for me it kinda freaks me out. Let me guess, next you’re going to tell me that fairies and devils are real too?”
I nodded. “Well now that you mentioned it, Alec is a Fae and Chaz is a demon. You knew that I was not human, John. Where is all of this coming from?”
“I dunno, I just.. It’s hard to digest when you’re sitting in a room with religious stories and fairy tales.”
“Damn, Johnny boy, calm down. They put on their pants one leg at a time, just like we do. They pay their taxes, just like we do…” she stopped and pointed her bottle at me. “You do pay your taxes, right?”
I laughed. “Yes I pay my taxes. Ninety percent of the time I’m just like everyone else, with the exception of the fact I’m older than dirt and I can fly…” I sipped my beer, shaking my head in amusement. “Now… how are we gonna get me young again?”
“Honestly, it’s a lot easier than you’d think. Since more and more non-humans have been coming out of the woodwork. The Federal Government has created a group to handle such affairs. They’re actually talking about making a registry…”
“There’s no way in the nine hells that I would put my name on a non-human hit-list, Sandra. I’ve got too much coming at me right now as it is. Putting us on a list, will lead to us being seen as varmints and then it’s open season on the dragons. The angels have been trying this since the Crusades. I still fight it to this day.”
“Now this is why we need those like you in this, Jackie. The non-humans don’t have a voice. We don’t know their concerns, their needs, their issues. You’re seen as the thunderhead on the horizon, as we wonder if we’re going to get hit hard, or it’s gonna blow past us.”
“Look,” Alec said, gripping my hair tightly. He could tell I was upset. “We have been here on this rock a long time, and I mean a very long time. There are some who can tell you if Noah had acne or not, and some who can tell you if Napoleon’s belly button was an innie or an outie (it was an innie, I know) or could even tell you what Lilith's hair color was. Do you think we lived this long if we were prone to kicking the hornet’s nest?” He paused a moment for emphasis. “The fae are the closest to humans, and have been more intertwined in their history far more than the other non-humans, save the elves.. but they just get a bad rap all around. I know some prominent fae in government that would be willing to help you out, minus the register. I’ll send you their way.” He sighed. “Sorry Jac, I can't do this now. Maybe tomorrow. I’m too antsy to do this and have it look good for tonight,”
“So, you have a hot date tonight?” Sandra jeered.
John chimed in. “I think that was last night. Remember Officer Madison at the station?”
“You mean the red-head who was all floaty and blushy?” Sandra asked.
Alec joined the fray, calming down a bit. “Now we did not witness anything, but there was 200 year old wine, dry aged steak, and the strong need to do laundry this morning. But we can understand, with her partner out of brown, that this old dragon has a need or two… but enough of that. Now I have a laptop behind the counter. If you can log into your Marshal site, I can get Jac’s age doctored and we can have a wondermous day.”
Sandra sat there for a second, taken aback. “If you can do it so easily, why can’t you just do it yourself?”
“Oh that’s an easy one. With you here I don’t have to do something illegal like hacking your database…again.”
“Let’s give them some time. John, come with me.” While Sandra and Alec worked on making me legal, I led John down to the basement.
“You have two basements?” he asked as we headed down the second set of stairs.
“Like I've told you. This used to be an old biker bar. the apartment used to be a VIP lounge, with its own bar, bandstand and the works This level was for the more nefarious dealings.” I gave a thick stone door a push, leading into my personal sanctum.
John sighed in awe as he saw shadowboxes containing gold coins, “Wow, you are like the fabled dragons, surrounding yourself with loot.”
“Well you are somewhat mistaken. Those coins, although gold, aren’t authentic. The oldest one is less than 50 years old.”
“Not authentic? They look like really old gold coins to me.”
“Let me explain. Throughout the ages, I have collected relics of the past. Mainly ancient coin stamps. Greek, and Roman coin stamps are the most common ones I’ve found. I did happen to acquire a pre-Caesar stamp. I’m looking for the stamps for the Lydian Lion coin, that’s like my holy grail.”
“Wow…” was all John could say, as he entered the room. Outside of my mountain home, this is my sanctuary, I have projects here that help me clear my mind. John stopped at one.
“You’re looking at a reproduction of one of the first silk looms ever built. It’s not done, though. building it from memory.
He looked around some more. “So the bikes here were left from the old tenants of this place?”
“Actually, no. The Triumph is mine. 1975 Triumph Trident T160. A good friend brought it back from England. I’ve retrofitted it from the ground up, and I love it.”
“So you ride. My best friend from school rides. Never got into it, to be honest.”
“If you want to learn, I know people. I’m not the best one to teach you, sorry.”
He scratched his head. “It’s fine. So what’s the story on the other bike?”
“The Road King is my gift to him. I’ve chromed it out, added the fat back tire, and am customizing the tank.” I walked over to a work desk, and picked up a primer-gray gas tank, partially covered with gold scales–my gold scales.
He walked over to me. “Oh, wow… Talk about tedious. I take it, those are your scales?”
I actually felt my face heating up. “My facial scales, yes. They’re the smallest scales I have that I can do this with.” I found myself whispering.
He looked puzzled. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. it’s just... I do hope he likes it…”
“May I?” he asked. I nodded softly, holding it out for him. He ran his fingers across the pattern of dime-sized scales, gasping. “They’re soft..? Like feathers? I never could have imagined a dragon having scales like this…”
“The scales on my face and wings are softer. The ones on my wings are more leathery, and frankly easier to work with than these.”
“Then why…?” he started to ask, as my thoughts went to him… one of two males to ever capture my heart. John’s words trailed off. Without me saying anything, he knew.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he took the gas tank from my hands, setting it back on the table. He started again, after giving me my moment. “Thanks for the tour. Sandra probably thinks you kidnapped me for some nefarious acts. She’s always trying to hook me up with someone.” He walked back up the stairs. I pushed the massive stone door shut, then passed through it. “So that’s how you secure the place.”
“Those who are looking to rob me can’t get in… and those who can get in won’t find anything in there worth stealing. Oh, you mind dropping me off by the Flayre? I DJ there on occasion, and I’ve been asked to sub in tonight.”
“Sure thing..” Jorn replied, with an unfamiliar look in his eye.
“Actually, I’m going to need to grab a bite before I head in, so Wendy’s? I’ll buy.”
We were walking back into the bar by this time. Chaz heard what I said. Alec was in his element. A herd of elephants could stomp by and he wouldn’t notice.
Chaz looked at Alec and shook his head. “I’ll get Twinkle Toes in gear. Meet you at the club.”