Hey all, I'm new to Mr. Butcher's forum. I'm a huge fan of Harry Dresden. In fact, I've been inspired to write my very own what I call Arcane Noire series. Now, I don't have a series title, but the first book is titled Blood & Magic. And I would like to share what little I have written so far with fellow Dresden fans. As such, I do pay homage to Mr. Butcher and The Dresden Files in it. So, please read and let me know what you think. Good, bad, ugly. It doesn't matter, I'd like anyone and everyone's feed back on it. Thanks for taking an interest and enjoy!
Chapter One
I was reading the latest in The Dresden Files when the door to my office opened. A lot of my friends give me shit for readying The Dresden Files, but I can't help it. They are damn good books. I set my book down, and looked up.
A young Hispanic man stood just in front of the door. He wasn't tall, an inch or two shorter than my height of six one. He had short black hair, and an angular face. He wore really baggy jeans, a pair of tan Timberland boots, and a red Marc Ecko shirt. He couldn't have been no older than twenty two.
Before I could say anything he asked, “Are you Jason Mathis?”
“Yes,” I said standing up and extending my hand. He took it and gave me a fairly firm handshake. “You are?”
“Darren Ramos. I...I hear you are, um, well...”
I chuckled. “I know, kid. It sounds crazy, and believe me with the shit I've seen, crazy is putting it lightly. Yes, there is such a thing as magic. And yes, I am a Wizard. Now, how can I help you?”
He sighed as he sat down in the chair before my desk, resting his forearms on his knees and slumping his shoulders forward. “Here's the thing, man. If what's happening to me wasn't happening, I'd probably be one of guys who either prank calls you, or beat the shit outta ya for even thinking this shit's real. I mean, I come from a Catholic family, ya know.”
“Not to be a dick, but shit happens to even the most devout of us. I know, probably more than anyone. But I can't help if I don't know what the problem is.”
He looked up at me, and the fear and denial were as plain to see. “I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I think that...well, a Vampire and a Werewolf are stalking me.”
My mouth about hit the floor. “Seriously? A Vampire and a Werewolf?”
He clearly took my disbelief the wrong way, because he became defensive. “You tell me that magic is real, but Vampire and Werewolves aren't?”
I shook my head. “No, they are very real. Its just that, Vampires and Werewolves don't usually go after the same person, at the same time. And for entirely different reasons.”
He looked at me, the fear more prevalent than before. “Than why me? What have I done to warrant their attention?”
I shrugged. “I don't know exactly. Could be a number of things. You could either have offended them, done something. Hell, it could simply be they don't like you. I honestly don't know. When than all of this start happening?”
The kid was about to answer me when my cellphone rang. I reached into my pocket as I held up a finger. I grimaced when it read Havrel. I rose and headed for the door. “I'm sorry, but I really need to take this. Give me a couple minutes, this shouldn't take long.”
I stepped out into the early summer heat of 99 degree Phoenix heat. “I'm kinda in the middle of something, Serus.”
“I just wanted to give you a heads up.” Serus was born in Wichita Falls, so had the prerequisite Texas drawl. “Central wants to see you. You are Summoned as of now. You got one hour to be there.”
I begun to protest but he cut me off in a grandfatherly manner. “I understand, Jay. I really do, but this coming directly from the Merlin himself. There's nothing I can do. Wrap up what you got going on now, and be meet me outside. I'll be there in a half an hour.”
I sighed, though it did little to calm my fury. “Alright, but this had better be good.”
I hung up before he could say anything else.
You see, two years prior to Darren Ramos walking into my office, I had been a full-fledged Practicing Wizard. Than my brother Eric had been murdered by a Wizard gone rogue. I had been forbidden from being involved in the investigation by the Central Council, simply referred to as Central. I disobeyed and begun my own digging. As a result I nearly lost my life, and was excommunicated from the Arcanum, and under pain of dead, I was forbidden from using Wizardry. Which sucked more than anything, because that meant I was stuck with using a lesser forms of magic, like Thaumaturgy for instance.
Wizardry is the magic you see in most videogames, movies, and fantasy books. Thaumaturgy is used to augment preexisting magic, such as enchanted items, through the use of specific keywords and phrases. Called runes and glyphs respectfully. Luckily for me though, regular humans didn't know that. This allowed me to advertise myself as a practicing Wizard. It obviously pissed off a vast majority of my former colleagues, but after what I'd been through, I didn't give a rat's ass.
I walked back into my office, and shot Darren an apologetic look. “I'm sorry to do this, but something unavoidable has come up. Normally I charge fifty dollars for the initial interview, but I'll waive it for the inconvenience and I'll also take on your case. You don't even have to pay me for the first week. How's that sound?”
Darren rose and nodded meekly. “Sounds good, but what if something happens while you're gone?”
I walked over to a large wardrobe I used to store my tools of the trade and opened it. “I should be back in a couple of hours. However, if I'm not” I tossed him a Ankh made of silver. “ and they show up and try anything...unpleasant, flash this at them. It'll have them running with their tails between their legs. The pun is just an extra bonus.”
He didn't laugh as he caught it. “I thought vampires were afraid of crosses, though the silver makes sense with a Werewolf.”
A half smile touched my lips. “That's bullshit. The Ankh is a natural arcane symbol, and therefore is more able to retain enchantments than lets say a Crucifix, for example. And yes, Lycanthropes are allergic to silver, but that's not why that particular Ankh will keep them from harming you.”
Confusion took over him. “Than why?”
I gave him an even look. Not wanting to go into detail as to why it was so, I said, “Let's just I've had my reasons in the past.” I handed him my business card. “If anything does happen while I'm gone, and the Ankh doesn't help you as much as it normally should, call me as soon as you can and I'll do everything in my power to get to you.”
The door to my office opened, and when I looked over Darren's shoulder, I about sent an arcane bolt from my finger tips. Forbearance or not. “I thought you'd be here in half an hour, Serus?”
Serus was five foot nine, in his late fifties and as skinny as could be without being skin and bones. He had a long narrow face, with start white hair and stubble that bordered on a full beard. Despite it being late May, he wore a black duster over a black V-Necked button up shirt, black cotton pants, and black boots. The guy reminded me a lot of Sam Elliot.
“I know, but there is something I need to talk about.” He noticed Darren staring at him, bewildered. “What? Never seen a Texan before?”
“Well,” Darren stammered. “Yeah, but not one who took the whole Cowboy thing as hardcore as you do.”
Serus narrowed his eyes dangerously. “I look dashing. At least I don't wear my pants down passed my ass. You know that wearing pants that way was started in prison because it was easier...”
I slammed my hand down on my desk. “Serus, he's my newest client. Stop harassing the poor kid. You look idiotic, despite what you think.” I turned to Darren. “I'm sorry, Darren. Serus is, well, Serus. He takes some getting used to.”
Darren shrugged as he started for the door. “Its alright. I'll call you if anything happens.”
I nodded though he couldn't see me. I waited a few moments after the kid left before turning on Serus. When I first became Serus' Apprentice fifteen years ago, I wondered why a Texan had a named like his. When I asked, he informed me just as defensively as he had with Darren, that he came from a long line of Wizards as if that cleared everything up. It didn't because I've met Wizards with names like Jennifer, David, William, and every other name any sensible parent would name their children so they wouldn't get the hell beat out of them by the other kids.
“Why?” I said mbthrough clinched teeth, throwing my arms out in front of me and clasping the empty air. I wanted to strangle the old bat, but knowing it would do little good. I was in enough trouble with Central and didn't need to arrest for homicide on top of it. “Why would you antagonize a client like that?”
He just blinked at me. “Are you ready?”
I sighed as I rubbed placed my thumb and middle finger at the sides of the bridge of my nose. “Yeah, come on. Let's get this done and over with. Oh, what was it you wanted to go over with me?”
He held his arms out to his side. “I was gonna ask how I look.” Than he glared at me with a hurt look. “But, I think that's clear.”
I just shook my head as I touched the teleport spell I had inscribed on my wall with invisible ink.
