Case File: The Tainted Nature.

11.25 P.M

Monday

Tension rose between Azy and Layla without Sabuk’s knowledge. Before anything could escalate, Azy turned to Sabuk for an answer. “Sabuk, who is this mortal?”

“This?” He glanced at the woman kneeling beside the table. “My new refreshment.”

“What does she come from?”

Sabuk raised an eyebrow, then slowly moved his gaze to Layla. He chuckled slightly upon understanding the expression Azy’s partner had. “Mortals… I understand now. It seems I have offended Lord Azriel’s new partner.”

“That was not her intention, Sabuk.”

The air around Sabuk became heavy while his expression soured. The Lycan noticed her employer had become upset, and she slowly backed away to the wall. Sabuk grabbed a fist full of the woman’s hair and forced her on four before himself.

Layla’s handgun was already halfway out by then. Her anger became slipping out of her.

Sabuk rested his legs on top of the woman’s back like a stool. “You care for this cattle?”

That was the final draw, Layla stood up and aimed the barrel of her gun at Sabuk. “Let her go or else.”

Sabuk chuckled, but it was clear that it wasn’t out of joy, more out of irritation “This is my domain, and you threatened me for this cockroach?”

“She’s a human. She’s not your pet.”

“You human and your sense of heroism. You don’t know anything about this woman or what she did. Let me enlighten you, dear enforcer.” Sabuk removed his legs and stood up. Then he proceeded to raise her by pulling her hair. “This woman… has a gambling addiction. She racketed up quite the debt. To pay for it, she sold her child to the local gang lord. Then she had the balls to gamble again, and you could guess what happened next, another mountain of debt. Once she couldn’t pay that, she came to me. Asking for my help, but I don’t do anything for free. In exchange for her freedom, I absolved her debts.”

Layla’s resolve wavered. “You’re lying.”

“Layla!” Azy raised her voice with a glare.

“You… accused me of lies?!” Sabuk bares his fangs while a light growl escapes his throat. His grips tightened over the woman’s hair and caused her aching pain. “You dare?”

“Sabuk, please calm down,” said Azy after he stood up.

“Lord Azriel, but this is disrespectful. I have treated you both with nothing but hospitably. Fine, you wanted to hear the cattle herself, then fine.” Sabuk removed the gag and forced her on fours.

“Master, please I didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t ask for help from that woman!” The woman clung to Sabuk’s pants as if her life depended on them.

“Tell them the truth and leave my domain, consider the deal is off,” ordered Sabuk.

“No… please,” The woman sobbed.

Layla came to her side, but before her hands could touch her, the woman slapped them away. She glared at Layla with furious rage. “Do you know what you have done? You ruin me. You kill me!”

Layla took a step back with shock. “Was it true?”

“Of course it was true. I got a mountain of debt, and they were going to cut me up into pieces. If it wasn’t for Master’s help. I would have died.”

“What about your kid?”

“That little shit? All he does is waste my money. I didn’t even want him in the first place.”

“Maze, remove her from my property. I have grown tired of this… thing.” He let out a sigh while rubbing the bridge of his nose. Sabuk then took a seat and moved his gaze at the ceiling.

The Lycan grabbed the woman by the arm, then proceeded to pull her out of the room despite the woman’s struggle. Layla, still stunned by the revelation, didn't even realize that the woman she intended to save had already been escorted out of the room.

“Sabuk, my partner--”

“I apologize, Lord Azriel, but she had soured my mood. Just tell me what you want and leave.”

“I understand. I’m looking for a group poacher.” Azy placed a piece of paper with a twin-bladed axe symbol drawn on it.

“Ah, them. A fairly new group around here. They called themselves, Backwater Boys.” Sabuk took out a card and flung it on the table without looking. “You can find their address here. Please leave.”

“Thank you, Sabuk.”

Azy nudged Layla back to reality and gestured her to leave. Layla holstered her handgun and followed Azy out of the room and out of the nightclub. On the way out, her chin remained low, shameful for conduct. Azy had told her to not get involved, and she did. Layla glanced at Azy, but she couldn’t read his expression. She doesn’t know whether her partner was angry or disappointed, or both.

“Azy, I’m sorr--”

The vampire suddenly shifted to her other side and stopped the incoming broken bottle headed toward Layla. She took a step back in surprise and took out her handgun. When she gained a better look, it was the woman from earlier she wanted to save, but now holding the broken glass bottle.

“If I kill you, Master might take me back,” said the woman with bloodshot eyes.

“He won’t,” said Azy in a neutral tone.

“But… I… I don’t want to die,” sobbed the woman as she let the broken glass bottle drop and shattered against the sidewalk.

Azy pulled the woman into an embrace. “It wasn’t her fault. She means well.”

“Why did you have to save me? I’m a terrible mother. I sold my child. What’s wrong with me?” She cried her heart out against Azy’s chest.

Layla tries to reach out but stops when she realizes that she had done enough. She holstered her handgun and looked away. Her grips tightened with frustration and anger.

“This should be enough to help you get out of town.” Azy slid a large wad of cash into her pocket, then released her from the embrace. He left the woman behind with Layla by her side.

Both of them walked for a while in silence until they reached the car. It’s not until they were in the car that Layla spoke out. “I’m sorry, I made the situation worse.”

“Get out.”

“What?” Layla widened her eyes at Azy.

He reached for the Justicebringer. “I said get out.”

“Look, I know I made a mistake, but shooting won’t solve anything.”

Azy got out of the car, Layla followed behind. She raised her hands when Azy suddenly aimed his handgun at her.

“Wait, what are you doing?”

“Non-lethal,” The ammo cycled in the handgun, he squeezed the trigger and caused a chemical reaction inside it which propelled a non-lethal bullet passed by Layla’s head and into the alley behind her.

“What’s wrong with you?” shouted Layla, but immediately turned around when she heard the scream coming from the alley.

“You want to let out some steam?” Azy grinned as he sauntered toward the alley.

A woman ran out with a tattered dress toward Azy, she wrapped herself around him and hid her sight from the alley. Azy gently wrapped her arm around her to calm her down. She raised her sight to meet with Azy’s gentle gaze. The tears running down her cheeks were a statement that her night didn’t go well.

She was quite beautiful from her blue eyes to her brunette hair. Despite the tears running down her tanned skin, she got this wild look to her and her body was firm but soft. She must have worked out a lot.

Before Layla could question the woman, four vampires in a blood-crazed state appeared out of the alley. Growling like an animal, their consciousness had been overtaken by their bloodlust. Azy could guess they were Fresh Spawn, only a vampire who hasn’t gotten to use their hunger could go out of control.

“Are these men troubling you?”

“I was getting to my car when they suddenly jumped me.”

“Let me and my partner handle them.” Azy gently took her hand and led her into the backseat. He kneeled before her, then comforted her with his blazer, and lastly placed a kiss on the back of her hand. “I will be right back.”

The distressed woman blushed greatly at the gesture. “Please be careful.”

Azy turned his back on her. “If only being careful was part of the job, miss, but I can promise you to try.”

“So, how do we do this?” asked Layla.

“Don’t kill them and don’t pull any punches, they aren’t strong like a regular vampire or tough, but they are still dangerous.”

“Copy that.” Layla's grip tightened over the handgun.

Azy stored the Justicebringer into his shoulder holster, then he took out two titanium brass knuckles. They fit perfectly around his hands. Azy raised both fists and lightly hopped to build up momentum. He went forward into the vampire with such speed. His knuckle landed an uppercut that was hard enough to knock her unconscious and sent her into the dumpster.

A Fresh Spawn charged toward Azy from the left, Layla incapacitated the blood-crazed vampire with a single powerful shot to the opponent’s gut. The target became slow enough for Layla to land another shot to his head, knocking him out for good.

The third one pounced toward Layla with an uncontrollable bloodlust, before he could do anything, Azy punched him out of the way and knocked him out.

The last one had sneaked up on Azy, she swung a knife at him, but before the blade could connect, Layla shot the knife out of the Fresh Spawn’s hand before taking another shot at the target’s throat. The Fresh Spawn dropped onto her knees while gasping for air.

“Y-You will pay for that. The Sanguine Blade never forgets,” said the Fresh Spawn with a raspy voice.

“Well, I’ll be waiting.” Those were the last words the Fresh Spawn ever heard before Azy knocked him for good with a punch. Then another punch just to be sure she was out for good.

“Is that all of them?” asked Layla.

“I believe so. You were pretty good with that gun.”

“Could have warned me first.”

Azy shot a grin at Layla, “The look on your first, I got you hard. Listen, there’s nothing wrong with helping people, you shouldn't apologize for that. Back there, if she really was held captive, I would have backed you up because that’s what a partner does.”

“So, you’re finally cool with me being your partner?”

“Hell no. I hate partners, but I wouldn’t mind having you cover my back.” Azy twirled to the woman in his car, he took her hand and brought it closer for another kiss. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting.”

“I’m going to call this in.” Layla walked toward the driver’s side.

“You were incredible,” said the woman.

“It was nothing. I never caught your name, do you mind telling me?”

“My name is Jessica, but most people call me Jessie.”

“Well Jessie, you call me Azy. While we wait for the ambulance and the police, do you mind telling me the truth?”

“Uhm, didn’t I tell you earlier? They jumped me when I tried to get to my car.” She raised an eyebrow, directing her confusion at Azy.

Azy leaned forward and forced Jessica on her back, his face was a mere inch away from hers. His hand slid underneath her dress, she squirmed and moaned as Azy navigated her toned body. She thought Azy was about to reach for her breast when he suddenly pulled his hand out and dangled a tiny package. Inside, a tiny amount of red dust can be seen.

She sighed, and her innocent face changed dramatically to stone-cold. “And here I thought we were going to have a great time.”

“I’m guessing this is Cardinal Bliss. Is this why they were chasing you? Which one are you, dealer or user?”

Jessie moaned and pulled Azy till their forehead kissed. “A dealer for tonight that is. So, do I have a chance to strike a deal with you?” Her thigh rubbed against Azy’s crotch.

“Do I have a choice in this though, what with that blade near my side?”

Jessie grinned as the tiny blade playfully poked under Azy ribs. The woman and the vampire grinned at each other. To be honest, there was some kind of attraction between the both of them.

Jessie had thought that this man was another kind of dumb guy with a hero complex, she didn’t realize he was sharp enough to figure out the drug hidden under her dress.

Azy on other hand had always noticed the drug, his nose was stronger than a human, not that Jessie knew what he was. Anyway, he could have played dumb to avoid any unnecessary trouble, but he just couldn’t pass the chance. Besides, the threatening thing really got him. He does love a woman who has a bit of a bad side to them.

All this was happening without Layla even noticing it, for her, she thought they both were going to get it on in the back of the car. Which made her uncomfortable, and she prefers to be far from whatever is going to happen back there.