Page 3 of Under Dark Skies

Rafe looked at her for a few moments, and then, sniffed the air? Yeah, he sniffed the air in the office, before he said, “Okay. Take a seat and tell me what’s going on.”

He motioned to a shitty office chair that was one step up from a folding chair, across from his desk. The desk was for sure particle board, and had seen better days. “I received a letter from my sister, and it’s important to know up front that she’s a member of PEACE. In this letter she explains that there’s corruption in their ranks. That members of PEACE and certain people in the werewolf community are trying to start a war with each other.”

Rafe put his hand up to stop Layla from talking. “I’m going to stop you right there, miss. This is a PEACE matter. You need to take it to them.”

Layla retorted, “No, you don’t understand. She knows too much and now they’re trying to kill her. And I’m afraid now they’ll try to kill me too.” And then it got real. Not until that moment had Layla really thought about the consequences of her involvement and was so unsettling about it. The implication of it sent a shiver down her spine and made her shoulder tremble a little.

Rafe noticed, and had a look similar to pity on his face despite his gruff exterior. “Okay, take it easy, miss.” He paused, and quickly asked, “What’s your name?”

“I’m Layla.” She answered.

“Great, I’m Rafe. What exactly is it that you need me to do for you?” He was a real cut to the chase kind of guy.

“I need you to help me find my sister. Can you do that?” Because, she thought, if Darla was here, she’d know what to do.

“I can. But you’re going to need to give me all the information you have. No matter how big or how small you think it is. Let me be the judge of what information isn’t useful.”

Layla stared at him blankly for long moments. This situation she found herself in was far from ideal. If Rafe was good at his job, wouldn’t he have better accommodations and not dress like he was thrown out of a biker bar? But, at the same time, what were her choices. In fact, Rafe wasn’t a choice, he was a lack of options. She knew damn well she wasn’t going to find Darla on her own.

After the careful deliberation she said, “Fine. I’ll show and tell you everything.”

Four

Rafe

This lady is coo coo bananas! Why are all the hot ones crazy?

Rafe liked what he saw in this stunning woman, but the words coming out of her mouth were a little too far fetched. She kept talking despite his skeptical expression.

“I mean, I don’t really know what or who this elder council is, but it sounds like they’re in the same danger as my sister. If I’m reading this right, and who knows, but it seems like some dudes named Sol and Malcolm are planning to take them out and start a war?” Layla looked up from the letter at Rafe.

“And you said your sister is a member of PEACE?” Rafe asked.

“Yes.” Layla responded sheepishly.

“Like, P E A C E.” He spelled out each letter accentuating.

She became a little annoyed, and her tone indicated. “Yes, like I’ve said I think three times now.”

Rafe sat back in his shitty office chair, and peaked out the window to the darkening sky. He half expected one of two things. A TV camera to rush in telling him he’d been “Spunked”, from that gag show, or a PEACE SWAT team to swing in through the window and execute them both. Neither option seemed great. Turning back to Layla, he said “I’d actually like to read that letter. May I?”

Layla seemed reticent. Not quite certain she could trust Rafe, or probably anyone for that matter. Still after what seemed like an internal deliberation, she handed the paper over. Rafe took it from her gingerly, so as to show that he did care about her concerns, despite his skepticism about them.

He read the letter silently, only occasionally looking up from the page. When he had finished a little color washed out of his face. “This is some pretty heinous shit.” He said matter-of-factly.

Rafe pulled out a cell phone and thumbed through his contacts before dialing one of them. “Yeah Jimmy, it’s Rafe. Hey, quick question. You remember Sol? Does he still run that nightclub downtown? Right. And that’s the one that got hit by that wolf. Right? Okay. Thanks.” He ended the call and it seemed at least one of his suspicions were validated.

He went on, “Yeah, I know some of the people this letter mentions.”

After pouring over the letter he poked a finger down on a paragraph. “Here she talks about Malcom Drent, and it isn’t good. I would agree that he’s been very outspoken about not mainstreaming with the humans, but, a war?”

Layla had a funny look on her face. “The way you say ‘the humans’. Are you not one?”

“Would that be a problem?” A little hair raised up on the back of Rafe’s neck. He really didn’t have time for racist bullshit, and Layla, hot as she was, could take a hike if she wanted to be like that.

“No,” she replied. “In fact, I think that would be a huge asset. Can I ask what you are?”

Rafe drew his closed lips to the right which was one of his tells when something annoyed him. “I’m a man. I’m a man that has a little extra. That’s all.”

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