I was tying up a few lose ends to last weeks case, when Cassiopiea, my fae secretary, called me over my intercom.
"Chelsea."
"Yes?"
"I have someone to see you. Can you take him?"
I glanced over my papers, then checked the time. 7:50 P.M. I sighed and responded.
"Send him in."
A scraggly looking man steps into my office. I gave him a quick look up and down, thinking, Oh great, he's a lick. Of course, you don't know what a lick is, do you? Well, you know how humans have bums? He is basically a vampire bum. Another thing is, he only feeds on druggies. Heroin addicts, speed junkies, potheads, you name it, he'll drink it.
His kind make me sick.
"I got a message for a Chelsea Silverleaf," came a hoarse whisper. Considering the scar across his neck, I guessed his throat was slashed, moments before his Embrace, leaving a wound that never really healed.
"This is she."
"Amanda says she's got a case, so meet her in Caesar's Palace at 9:00," he croaked.
"Another case already?" I say more to myself than him.
"Apparently."
"Well thanks, Anton."
"No prob," he says, walking out the door. I bet you didn't think I knew him, did you? Well. When your 780, you know nearly everyone. But more importantly, could this case have anything to do with Stanis Thexan. Stanis Thexan, world renown painter, also a Toreador, has just arrived to Vegas, in search of his next paintings subject. His paintings are so beautiful, they could distract even the toughest Brujah. Brujah is a clan a vampires, they are th fighters, kind of like the Mafia or a street gang. They solve they're problems with violence. Anyway, after his arrival party, though Cassi had an odd sense of foreboding, and being a fae, she is generally good at this sort of thing. I buzzed her over the intercom.
"Cass."
"Yeah?"
"I'm going out in an hour to meet Amanda. We have another case. Please, start prepping the file so I can start when I get back."
"Yes, Chelsea." As I started to leave, so I could go home and get ready (I have my own back door), I heard Cassi's voice.
"Chelsea?" She sounded worried.
"Yeah?"
"Be careful." I paused for a moment, taken back by her concern.
"I always am," and with that I left.