My Bad Boy Werewolf Quadrillionaire Space Lord

Epilogue 1: Introducing 'A Murder Most Dapper'

Introducing the first sequel in the ongoing series 'Werewolves in Space', a steampunk murder mystery by SabrinaBlackburry, 'A Murder Most Dapper'.

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Luca lounged in a leather chair larger than most thrones, in front of a pool larger than most Olympic events, in the captain's lounge of a yacht that was by a considerable margin the largest ship in the solar system. Viviana was sprawled on his lap, wearing a bikini that cost more than any yacht that anyone asides from Luca owned.

Both of them were comfortably exhausted, luxuriating in satisfied opulence the envy of even the imagination of kings and billionaires.

But their reprieve would not last, as the hard clack of boots resounded on the marble.

"Luca!" an operatic roar thundered from the distant doors, as a pale, impeccably well-dressed man strode into Luca's cabin. The clapping of boots on stone carried on for some time, since the distance from where Luca lounged to the door was nearly a five minute walk.

"Vi, have I ever actually used that door? I'm pretty sure I just portal in," Luca reflected lazily, not even trying to sit up.

"No, you've never used it. The pool cleaners are the only ones who ever have," Viviana replied, stretching her legs.

"Luca, what the hell did you do to my home?" Alcuard asked, in a theatrically clear interpretation of thundering rage.

"Oh, that started already?" Luca asked as he sat up, gently guiding Viviana off to the side of the chair. "I thought for sure it would take another week."

"My home is being used as a garbage pit!" Alcuard roared, and Luca only just noticed the vampire was wearing a sword.

"Not garbage," Luca said. "Leather scrap, old gears and cogs, antique machines, retro cloths and canvas. Basically anything I could buy up in bulk and drop over there for cheap."

"And you chose to dump it all on Atlantis? Why?" Alcuard asked, his hand still on his sword.

"When we leased it to the steampunk commune that dirty fairy maker in the Midwest started. They asked to lease the island, claimed refugee status for 'an unbearable history of persecution from the societies of material physics'," Luca explained.

"What does that mean?" Viviana asked.

"It means steampunk inventions don't work because they don't conform to the laws of physics. So they want to live on Atlantis, and use the power of an unobtanium stone to build themselves a steampunk paradise. Which reminds me, we have to call it 'Brasslantis' now," Luca added.

"You left them the unobtanium Stone?" Alcuard practically shrieked.

"No, they had their own. Which I insisted they use," Luca replied.

"You didn't insist. It's just no one but you can afford the rental fees you attached to letting them have it," Viviana said.

Alcuard looked over to the pool, where he seemed to finally notice that it was glowing red. The sinister glow appeared to come from a single source, and looked a great deal like the red used on the cover of most vampire novels. "Is that the blood stone?"

"It is. Trying it out as a water purification tool. Works really well so far. I have a group of merfolk who want to use theirs to turn the excess ice in orbit to make a water world. We'll see how that one pans out. Told them I'd give them a 'proof of concept' pro-bono."

"So there are three Unobtanium Stones now," Alcuard said. "The ultimate power in the universe, and you are so casual about letting complete strangers write the future of our lives."

"Relax. It's not like they can do any worse than the hack that drove BIRD into a catatonic state," Luca replied. "More importantly, I should show you this."

Luca opened a small portal in the air beside him, and thrust his arm through. He felt around for a moment, then pulled out a small tablet with an open report on its screen. "Steampunk communes are notorious for producing bits and baubles that fashionistas and cosplay enthusiasts pay top dollar for. I'm keeping them supplied because it's how that commune is going to pay for the lease of your city."

"You expect them to help you make money on silly crafts and leather scrap?" Alcuard asked, as he took the tablet from Luca.

But as Alcuard read the report, his scowl faded, and a wicked grin began to spread in its place. His eyes widened in several different parts of the report, and after a few minutes he handed the report back to Luca in a state of silent awe.

"You might be the second trillionaire in history if we play our cards right," Luca said, as he tossed the tablet through the portal. "Those fools have no idea what their crap is worth. We'd be pocketing over 85% of the proceeds, and leave them with all of the production costs. And between having a monopoly on portal tech, and Isabella making a fortune selling smuggling ships back to their corporate sponsors, we have an untouchable monopoly."

"We're going to be disgustingly rich," Alcuard said.

"Vi, get him an appointment with the yacht yards," Luca said, but he stood up and let his grin disappear. "But there are a few dodgy things that would derail this whole project if they found out."

"Illegal things?" Alcuard asked.

Viviana and Luca both laughed. "Oh hell no," Luca said. "Going illegal doesn't have the profit margins to bother. But it does clash with steampunk sensibilities. First, all of the copper and iron we supply them comes from asteroids. If they found out, they'd have a bloody conniption over it. All authentic steampunk gear is supposed to be sourced from iron foundries in the United Kingdom, covered in coal, and been used in at least one train trestle before."

"Why do they care?" Alcuard asked.

"It's steampunk. They're weird," Viviana said. "But that isn't as dangerous as what might happen if someone discovered how we're sourcing the leather."

"Factory farming?" Alcuard raised an eyebrow and frowned. "If it is, I'll be rather angry."

Viviana giggled, and held out her hands. "We use cloned cow skin cells, collected from skin flakes and hair cells that fall off from petting zoos. The trouble is that if the steampunk commune hates the idea of meteorite ore being used, cloned animal skin would send them absolutely berserk."

"There might even be a murder," Luca agreed.

"A most dapper murder," Viviana added. "They are very fashionable."