Chapter 3

  A Trap to Die For

  As I navigated the slick streets, the drizzle mingling with the shadows, I felt the weight of the city pressing down on me. Each step echoed with the memories of my past, the ghosts of my family home still haunting my thoughts. I had a Fae to find and information to drag out of the dark, but I felt as a spectre of loss lingering in this City.

  I arrived at the first location on my list: a small, unassuming dental office tucked between a bakery and a thrift shop. The neon sign flickered, casting an eerie glow that seemed to pulse in time with my heartbeat. I pushed the door open, surprised at it being open at this late hour, the electric bell chiming softly as I stepped inside. The waiting room was empty, save for a few outdated magazines and a fake potted plant that looked as if it had seen better days.

  I slipped my phone from my pocket and dialled Lila. Her voice crackled through the speaker. “Nothing yet boss but I,” I cut her off. “I understand any chance you can zip over? I need your senses.” the phone crackled and vibrated. “Ok I am here Barty, whats up?”

  “Lila, can you scan the area for any unusual energy signatures?” I whispered, my voice barely above a murmur. The air felt thick, charged with an undercurrent of something dark and unsettling. Ghosts had a better sense for other supernatural creatures especially the Fae.

  “On it!” Lila’s voice crackled through the phone. “I’ll let you know if I pick up anything.”

  Lila’s power other than being a rather powerful Geist she could see the flows of power and its residue.

  I moved cautiously through the office, peering into the treatment rooms. Each one was sterile and cold, the dental chairs looming like silent sentinels. I slowly swung the phones camera around the rooms I checked so Lila could see.

  I could almost hear the faint echoes of past patients, their fears and anxieties lingering in the air.

  As I stepped into the last room, I noticed a faint shimmer at the edge of my vision, a flicker of movement that sent a chill down my spine, “Lila, I think I’ve found something,” I said, my heart racing.

  I approached the dental chair, where the shimmer seemed to coalesce into a small, mouse like figure. It was an Enamel Eater, its beady eyes glinting with delight as it clutched a tiny tooth in its paws.

  “Careful, Detective!” Lila warned. I shook my head “They’re not inherently dangerous, not a fan of people apart for their teeth and don’t like being touched.”

  I crouched down, trying to appear non-threatening. “Hey there, little one. I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to know if there is a tooth fairy here.” The creature tilted its head, its whiskers twitching as it considered my words.

  The door swung open, startling me and sending the enamel eater running and a young petite woman in a fashionably smart blouse and skirt, her long hair pinned back and glasses perched at the top of her head. I recognised her in an instance as my heart caught in my throat.

  Her eyes widening in shock as she spotted me. “What are you doing in here?” she demanded, her voice sharp and accusatory.

  I held up my hands in surrender and to calm any potential further outburst. “I am on a job Selene, I didn’t know you worked here or I would have called Sweetheart.” I replied as smoothly as I could, even though I knew it was a lie, if I knew I would have avoided coming here.

  “You wouldn’t happen to have seen any strange happenings around here, would you?”

  Her expression softened, the tension in her shoulders easing. “No, nothing strange. Just the usual. But… I did hear some odd noises coming from the storage room, probably mice though.”

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  “Thank you,” I said, my voice low. “You’ve been very helpful.” I could see the confusion in her eyes, but I slipped out of the room before she could question me further even as the ache in my chest grew.

  I made my way to the storage room, my pulse quickening. The door creaked open, revealing a dimly lit space filled with boxes and dental supplies.

  “Barty?” Lila’s voice came from the phone I could hear the unasked question in her voice. “Not now Lila, it’s complicated doll.” My mouth dry as I spoke, quickly lighting a cigarette to settle the itch I felt gnawing like a dog with a bone.

  Inside the storeroom, the air felt charged, thick with the remnants of magic. I scanned the room, searching for any sign of Grim or his minions.

  “Lila? I need to know if there’s any Fae residue hanging around this joint. Can you work your magic?” I asked, my voice low and gravelly, the kind that echoed in the shadows.

  “Sure thing! Just use the camera; you’ll see what I see on the screen,” she replied, her tone brightening the dim atmosphere. I lifted the phone, scanning the room like a detective searching for clues in a smoky bar. “I’ll admit, this is a hell of a lot easier than tracking rituals. Those take time,” I muttered, peering through the lens.

  Through the camera’s eye, shadows danced along the walls, revealing faint outlines of energy trails that glowed like dying embers in the night. There! A shimmering trail snaked its way to a corner of the room, where a small, darkened space pulsed with an unsettling energy. I approached with caution, instincts on high alert, like a cat in a dark alley.

  As I reached out to touch the wall, a sudden chill swept through the air, and I felt a presence lurking behind me. I spun around, heart racing, and found myself face to face with the diminutive form of Grim. The Fae’s twisted smile stretched impossibly wide, its eyes glinting with a malevolence that could curdle blood.

  “You’ve come to play, Detective,” He hissed, his voice a chilling whisper that felt like a skeletal rattle.

  “Not quite,” I shot back, summoning every ounce of resolve I had left. “I’m here for answers. After that, we can work on a deal. I really don’t want to turn this into a game of…”

  But Grim was quick, darting to the side and slipping through the shadows like smoke escaping a dying flame. “You think you can trap me again? No! No! NO! DETECTIVE! Not this time!” His jeering laughter echoing through the room like a sinister melody.

  In a flash, Grim emerged from the shadows of a supply shelf, hurling a cloud of dust at me as it bolted for the door. I spun around, shielding my face, and with a flick of my wrist, I conjured a barrier of light in a desperate attempt to contain the creature. But the dust sparked, sending a jolt of pain deep into the back of my mind. I grunted, blinking away the spots that clouded my vision, the world swirling like a bad dream.

  I had to think fast. “Lila, can you track its movements?” I called out, my mind racing to anticipate Grim’s next move, the stakes higher than a gambler’s last bet in a crooked game.

  “Already on it! It’s heading toward the back exit!” Lila’s voice sliced through the murky haze of the night, urgent and sharp as a knife. I took off like a bat out of hell, adrenaline coursing through my veins, each step pounding against the wooden floor.

  I burst through the door and into the hallway. Grim was just ahead, its form flickering in and out of view like a ghost in a fog, darting between shadows that seemed to swallow it whole. The weight of my desperation clawed at me like a back alley cat, the darkness alive with whispers and secrets that danced just out of reach.

  “Stop!” I shouted, channelling my magic into a binding spell. The air crackled with energy, a tension that hung thick like smoke in a dimly lit bar.

  I unleashed the spell toward the Fae, hoping to ensnare him before the slippery cretin could slip away.

  Grim was quicker, slipping through the shadows and vanishing into the night like a wisp of smoke, leaving me cursing under my breath, frustration boiling within me. This was far from over; I had to track him down and confront him all over and who knows what trouble he could cause in the meantime.

  “Damn it.” I slammed my fist against the wall, the impact reverberating through my bones.

  “What’s going on here?” came Selene’s, cutting through the air.

  I turned, wiping my face the fine glittering powder that grim threw coated my skin.

  Before I could get the words out to apologize, a firm grip yanked me down by my shirt and tie. Warm, inviting lips crashed against mine with an urgency that ignited something deep within me.

  The intoxicating scents of cinnamon, spices, and lilies wrapped around us like a silken embrace, pulling me into a world of inky darkness.

  My vision blurred, the edges of reality fading as a sultry whisper danced in my ear, a tantalizing caress that sent shivers down my spine.

  So Next Chapter comes with a Content Warning. So if sexual content and the likes is not your thing, I recommend skipping or waiting for the chapter after, as Barty's and Selene's history and relationship is messy, complex and a little sad.

  If you are wondering how I create characters its usually left to fate and dice rolls using some old tabletop RPG charts I have, (D&D and cyberpunk mostly) with a mix of a multitude of mythos' and a slight nudge here and there.