Dead of Night (A Dresden Files Fanfiction)
By Colin Laxton
Chapter 1
I awoke to a pounding on my door that seemed to reverberate somewhere in my skull. It hurt. I opened my eyes, instantly regretting it as the world began to tilt. Everything was too loud and too bright. I grabbed a beer from the fridge, in the desperate hope that the hair of the dog that bit me would help.
Walking to the door, I projected my senses. The simple extension of my will was something I had done thousands of times, but this time was different, and my hangover reasserted itself in order to make that fact clear. I clutched at my head, as if it would help, and staggered to the door. The effort required to open it made me dizzy.
Framed by the angry light of the morning sun through the doorway, stood Detective Jonathan Mallory of the Shepherdstown Police Department.
"You look like hell," he told me flatly. A grin spread across his face as I shot him a look that oozed with venom.
"What in God's name do you want?" I asked him, shielding my eyes from the brilliance of the light outside.
"Well you are the great and powerful Ashwell," he said coyly, "aren't you? I mean, if not you may want to remove the ad in the phonebook that reads Ryan Ashwell, Professional Wizard." His face turned serious. "We've got two bodies in the groundskeeper's house next to the cemetery on the edge of town."
I muttered the strongest curses I knew, and several I made up on the spot. "Let me get dressed." I threw on a shirt and sweatshirt, before grabbing a tackle box and my staff. I put on my rings and made sure that my necklace was still on. The passive enchantment on that necklace was 'programmed' to draw my energy and throw up a shield if something moving too fast got too close to me; it had saved my life countless times. My brother had helped me enchant it, but I had managed my rings on my own. I felt the charge buzzing from the rings, a small, almost-electric tingle at the base of each finger that danced down the tendons of my wrist.
Inhaling slowly, I cleared my mind, pushing the remnants of the hangover aside and renewing my connection with the world of the living.
"Alright," I said, opening my eyes as determination washed over me, "let's get going."
I'd seen some pretty horrific things. The scene in front of me made the list. I paused just before the crime scene tape long enough to throw up last night's alcohol.
Detective Carter came up to greet us, shaking his head at me. "Christ," he swore, "you're too young for this shit."
Detective Mallory greeted his partner with a handshake. He looked at me, concerned. "You gonna be alright, Ashwell?"
"I've seen worse before, just give me a second," I replied, uncertain. I stood there, on the doorstep, for a moment, forcing myself to look inside until the screaming in the back of my mind had quieted. I leaned against the side of the doorframe and stared down at the concrete of the doorstep for a moment, before gathering my wits and stepping inside.
Two figures lay in the floor of the office. You could almost tell they were human. Mr. and Mrs. Pennington had been quiet folk, but had a reputation as nice, if a bit odd. They had kept to themselves, but Shepherdstown was a small town and everyone knew everyone, so they were well enough known to have been liked in the community. Which made the pure hatred of the scene in front of me all the more terrifying. Something had torn them to shreds with such malicious glee, that whoever was cleaning this mess would be more reliant on a vacuum than a body bag.
I drew in a deep breath, trying to desensitize myself to the stench of death that lay heavy about the room. Accompanying the smell, was the thick, intangible tar of black magic that covered the room like a blanket of snow. Failing to acclimate to the smell, I barely managed to keep from heaving on the carpet.
"What's the cause of death?" I choked out.
"It's officially going down as a bear attack," Detective Mallory said softly, "but it looks more like they were mauled by an angry tractor trailer." He put his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. "Is this something from your neck of the woods?" he asked me, gesturing at my staff with his other hand.
I nodded gravely. "This is some seriously bad juju."
"What could it be?"
I thought it over for a moment. "Maybe a hexenwolf or zombie, but they wouldn't leave an imprint that big." I shook my head absentmindedly. "The only thing that comes to mind is a demon. There are lots of those bad enough to do this. I'd have to check with Ian; he knows more about the denizens of the magical world than me."
Mallory nodded vaguely. "I'd like to bring you in on this case. I know you're not an investigator, but I've seen you handle yourself before and you know much more than I ever will about what could've done this. Also, I'll make sure you get paid consulting fees."
"I'll do what I can, Detective," I told him honestly, "but I may not be strong enough to stop it, even if I can find what it is."
"You saved my life and the lives of six officers last spring. You can handle yourself better than anyone I've ever seen." He smiled, almost believing it himself. "Please, Ryan," his tone turning serious and soft.
I didn't tell him about how big the world actually was. I didn't tell him how small a place humans have in it. I certainly didn't tell him how useless my abilities were going to be in the league this thing was playing in.
"I'll do what I can," I said, smiling weakly.
He beamed at me, his smile almost making being in the room tolerable. Almost. "Glad to have you on the case," he said, shaking my hand. "Do you need a ride anywhere?"
I shook my head. "I'm just gonna walk to the Blue Moon and get some coffee."
"Good hunting," he told me as he turned to the town medical examiner, and doctor, who was just coming in the door.
After taking some pictures and notes on the crime scene, I left the stifling house just before the claustrophobia could set in. I began the walk to my favorite café, and got ready to try to chase something down that would almost certainly kill me.